It's Hard Being Free
by ThoughtsThatAreWeird
Summary: here is a summary: Daniel lives in Admirabilis where everyone has magic, except him. He then meets a man named Philip and he is really go at magic but for some reason is wherever Daniel seemed to be. Then people who can't do magic start to be treated poorly so Daniel goes on a journey and Phil asks to join him.
1. Chapter 1

Tears streamed down his cheeks, but he wasn't alone. Everything looked watered down because I was crying too. We hugged before we left. No one believed us, now almost no one was left here. We were alone. The whole world looked like it was rid of colours. We looked at each other. "You ready?" he said looking ready to go forth in our plan. I nodded and we headed our separate ways.  
"Not everyone is born with magic." everyone would tell me. It felt a lot like a lie because everyone seemed to have it. I never met anyone who didn't. Hello, I am Daniel Howell and I can't use magic. Thankfully they didn't give people with no magic a bad name. We are called free, short for free of magic. How you learn is to enter schooling you have to do a test to see what stage your magic is at. You start out with simple spells like making a fire and such then the more you do the more complicated it gets. With this system the youngest of people could be in the highest level of schooling, but they all know the same things.  
So, when i went as you would think they asked me to create a drop of water appear. Nothing happened. They asked if i could more anything. Nothing happened. Call and animal. Nothing. Create an animal. Nothing. Make anything disappear. nothing. They said thank you and i left. With nothing to say i stayed in my room trying do anything magically, but nothing changed. The next month, i went to the free class. But they were all… how do i say this… not like me. They all didn't have the mental capacity of creating magic. I knew i didn't belong in this class but i couldn't argue. I was a free like these other kids. And no matter how hard i tried i never was able to create a spell to get out of that class.  
Years and years of being in that class was hard. Eventually, the kids who originally didn't have the capacity to do magic, were able to do magic and moved to another class and i was stuck. Until i had to graduate, i was in that class.  
When i was 18 years old i was able to graduate. Being a free, it was usually advised that i stay but i wanted to try and live without magic. I think i can, but it could be hard. And with that i did what most people do and get a job. All the job applications asked what level of magic i graduate/am currently in. I will let you know, i never got a job for a long time.  
One day i was trying to see if i can at least move water or something in the park in the town, and a man sat down next to me while i had my eyes shut concentrating. "What are you doing there, lad?" i jumped at the random voice. Embarrassed and surprised i said nothing, also it was hard to understand him, must be from up north. There was a long awkward silence between us, just staring into each other's eyes. "Well, if you aren't going to say something, mate, then i will. Ello, i am Philip. I just moved from up north." he stuck his hand out in a shake. "And you are?"  
I took his hand in a shake. "Daniel." he was like the male version of snow white. But with blue eyes.  
"So, what were you trying to do there?" he asked. I had no idea what to say. I didn't want a total stranger to know i have never been able to use magic even though i have had so many attempts to so for so many years.  
"A spell I learned in school over a year ago." i said as if i was just practicing something i had stopped doing a while ago. "Yay, thought it would be good to know just in case i needed it."  
"Oh, would you like help?" he was to cheery for what i was feeling for today. "I graduated almost a decade ago with the highest scores in my class, ever!" oh course he did. Also, he looked 20… of course he did...  
I needed to get out of this. "Oh my god!" i exclaimed, facepalming. "I left my… uh… mother in the supermarket. I sorry i have to go." that could have been a much better excuse but i still stood up and ran off in… the… wrong…. direction from the supermarket. Oh well. But it seemed like this guy was everywhere.  
Once i was in a cafe, drinking an energizing potion coffee mixture and watching the news, and he sat down on the seat in front of me and said "Ello! Remember me?"  
I looked at him and said, "Yep." i don't like to be sarcastic to people i don't know.  
"There was a protest at the capitol building" the New anchor chimed in. everyone in the cafe turned to watch "They are wanting all free to be excluded from the magic world." like i wasn't already. I tried not to show to pain i am having watch this. "I interviewed some of the protesters."  
A woman with a sign that said 'the free are not worth the money.' with a terrible marker was talking, "The free are just freeloaders. They don't have jobs." because they never hire us. "And they expect to be able to live in this magical world they can't contribute to. I say they should either be forced into magic or banished till they learned magic."  
This has been a very hot topic since i was 13. But in the 6 years it has been debated it has been a constant on and off deal. Many times people agreed, others were mad that humans without the capacity to do magic was exiled. They people against it always said "if you didn't have the capacity to love you liked to be exiled?" and because of all this fighting, people created a treatment that makes it so all frees who want to speed up the process of learning magic can. I have thought of it myself but always been worried it wouldn't work, and it is very expensive. And they have said it may not work. That percentage is very low but it is still worrying.  
"they have demanded that a bill be presented where all frees are to be deported out of the magic world until they can pass a test of a level 10. Back to you." level 10 is not that high. A level 15 is a normal with any level higher than 20 being expert.  
"Yeah!" yelled some men in the back. "frees don't deserve the same benefits as what us working class have!" I slid down in my seat and breathed deeply. Most people in town new I was a free. They understood I was trying but couldn't. So when the men in the back yelled that everyone gave them scowls and motioned towards me. "I am sorry but when was the last time he changed anything? He never had a job and just graduated in the level 0? How could he ever be useful?" phillip i think was his name looked at me. Must have found out I was a free somehow. " all he does is waste resources and 'concentrate' on making something happen." I left. I didn't want to hear more. I was trying to use magic but I ca t. I have never been able to.  
For some days after that I stayed in my room for a while. One day there was a knock at the door. and my mum answered it. "danny! Its for you!" She yelled. I slid out of bed and headed down the steps. I looked to see who it was. Was that… yeah, thats… Felix… no… Phillip? Yeah Philip… i think. What is he doing here? I tried to run back upstairs but he must have seen me.  
"Hey, are you okay? You seemed to get out of cafe quickly." he said. I stopped.  
"Yeah. Just… people being mean to minorities that can't even change themselves to be accepted makes me mad." i said, still not looking at him.  
"okay, just wanted to check in." he said turning towards the door.  
"its because I am one of them." I said softly. He turned back around. I turned towards him. "I am a free." I didn't know why I told him. I just felt I needed to.  
"That makes sense." he said. I shot him a puzzled look. " you told me the day I moved in you were trying a new spell but nothing happened. Nothing changed as I came up to you. And in the cafe why people motioned to you when the men in the back were talking about frees. You can use magic. You are a free." I literally just told him. He didn't have to piece that together. We stood there in silence. "I am gonna go home."  
"Okay." I responded and he left, I went back to sulking in my room. Now, it was worse because I could have had one person who didn't know I was a free but not now.  
The days following were not even better. All those protest against frees got bigger and more attention. The people who represented each sector, called Boshk, were interviewed, most saying for it, rather than against it. Rumours about a law and its contest floated around. Some said that one of its major point is that all frees who are over the age of graduating but have not will continue their studies till they are no longer a free. But all who have graduated are banished till they can prove they can wield magic. And I was scared. I had no idea what to do if that was true. I knew I should have stayed in school and at least try. But this was all speculation they have to read the whole law before anyone votes on it. They do broadcast it when they read it so my whole family set down to watch as we learned the rumors were true. Every last one, but they had one extra part that I only heard from one person "if you have to you may arrest, force, or kill if necessary" and that is what scared me the most. Thankfully there is about 5 days till it is voted on then about another 7 days till it if fully a law.  
The next day my parents came into my room "sweety," my mum said sitting on my bed. "I am sorry to say I think the law is going to bto" I slumped down a little."but we have an idea." she paused, " we are banishing you from our household till you can use magic or the law is over," I looked at her in shock. She was kicking me out. " I am sorry. We mean this for the best." i was scared where do i go. Just outside the borders i guess. "and to be safe we want you to leave either now or in the morning."  
"what? Why?" was all I could say. What was I going to do? Where did this all come from?  
"well, we have found out that the jamkers here are not very accepting of frees and have been just tolerating you." she said. Jamkers are people who enforce the law. "and if the found you i have a feeling that they won't just leave you alive." she paused. "I do really this this law will pass. Everyone is so happy because they are all in favour of it." she paused again. "I am so sorry.  
So I decided to leave that night. I packed what I thought I may need and left. As I left I said goodbye to my family and headed outside, took a breath, and then started walking.


	2. Chapter 2

It was dark outside and the only light I could see was the moon and the occasional street lamp. There was not much to see that I already hadn't, the stars weren't bright because of the light of  
Admirabilis and I could see Orion but the rest of the stars just looked randomly dotted around. The town was muted, there was the sounds from Laspers (the main part of Admirabilis), cars, and people who were up this late and walking around. This time of year the sun went down a lot earlier so it has been twilight for hours and that dictates how active it is out, so not much was happening. There was the occasional person on their porch but the weather was not the warmest, it was probably not too far from the coldest. Most were in their homes cleaning or just hanging out.  
I never really have seen the border, ever. But still I was scared cause I had no idea what to expect. And, since it was really boring, I thought of what it may be as I walked. Is it 100 feet tall but no doors? Barbed wired fence that was electrified? Did it have turrets that people who tried to escape or enter would get shot down? What if it was a 500 mile drop that had lava at the bottom? Phil? No, I wasn't worried phil would be there at the border, he was next to me walking. I hadn't even noticed him with the anxiety that was flooding my brain. When I finally noticed him I jumped and stopped.  
"Oh, I didn't want to scare you," he said, "or bother you so I decided to just walk with you. What are doing?"  
"Well," how do I explain this? "I am leaving" nailed it. Now he won't ask any more questions.  
"Why? It is wonderful here!" he said. Oh, no. I would have never thought he needed more information. (I hope you hear the sarcasm)  
"The new law. People are mostly for it and the jamkers are not the nicest. So, to be safe, I am leaving before they make me." I thought the conversion was done because there was a pause so I started walking.  
"Can I come with?" he said when I was a good couple yards away. I stopped. "You are the only friend I have made in the months I have been here. And you don't seem to be such as a loner as you try ad lead." I didn't know what to say. "Please? My brother can take care of my house and all I would need it about 30 minutes."  
"Sure?" I said because I wasn't that sure. He hasn't made me really mad or shrugged me off like the rest of this town. Just as I said that he jumped excitedly and ran to, what I assume was his house and some minutes later he came running out with a suitcase and a back pack.  
"I am ready!" he said as he ran up to me.  
"Well, we better get going. I don't know where we are going or how we are going to get there so let's keep going. We walked a long time. I realized how center of the town we lived.  
The Wall was more or less a fence. Like the grumpy old man next door didn't want anyone in his yard but still have money left in the bank. It was a brick wall, no footholds, then there were flat stones on the top that were a cream colour. It was about 8 feet tall, way taller than me, and there was no way we could climb it.  
"So," Phil said. "What do we do?" I looked around. There was a perfectly placed ladder on the wall that we could climb.  
"I think we can use that." I said and pointed towards it. We climbed up and saw the outside. "never thought it would look like this." it looked very deserted near the wall with sand and very dead looking plants. The father you looked the more plant life there was. Tells you what we did to the landscape. We jumped off the wall. It was a wasteland for a mile.  
"can, " phil gasped, "can we stop? My legs wanna stop." I looked around, we were still in the desert, and the sun was so just barely coming up. From the things I know about deserts they are dry, warm during the day and cool by night, and that where is nothing really to give you shade. I looked around and saw a whole illness the ground.  
"can you walk to there?" I asked. he nodded. It was a little cave type thing there. Little small but we could still fit in it with small room left. I grabbed the tarp I brought and set it in and over the cave. We settled in just fine. But for some reason I couldn't sleep. I heard movement from Phil's side.  
"don't hurt me for asking but why can't you use magic?" he asked. I didn't know how to answer. How was I to answer a question I have been asking for years. "it is cause you can't or don't want to?"  
"I was told at a very young age I had potential and I have never shown it since." I stopped. What am I doing? I barely know anything about him yet I was going to tell him something about myself. I know that is what you normally do when you start a friendship with someone but I had no intentions to stick with this guy for long. Moment he finds something I am gone.  
"could it be lack of emotions?" phil said. Oh geesh, now he is like a therapist. If he says 'how does e that make you feel?' then I am done.  
"No it is not that! My family loves me!"  
"but do you?" we sat in silence. "okay, well night." he snapped his fingers and I felt tired. He was making me stay wake! Damn it! My mum used to do that whenever she needed to talk to me. I tried to get more comfortable but I couldn't move. My mum would also use this when she wanted to talk to me. I just accepted that I couldn't move and relaxed. Then I felt myself roll over to face phil. I just wanted to sleep now so I just relaxed.  
I looked around, but there was nothing there. Just blackness. Well. There was something's like in the distance there were black mountains and the sky was a gradient from, the bottom to the top, white to black. I saw that the ground was covered in fog. I was on this floating land mass a mile or more above it all. Even the island was black. It wasn't scary but it just had an eerie feel to it. There were what sounded like whispers that flew through the the air. It could have been wind but it sounded like voices. One that was prevalent said "it will all burn. It will be all destroyed." and it just repeated over and over again. I then heard another saying "Dan." it first sounded like a calling like 'come over here' than anything else then the more it repeated it sounded like a cry for help. Then I was shaking.  
I woke up with phil frantically shaking me and yelling "Dan!" and "wake up!" I opened my eyes and phil look frantic. when he saw me wake he said "oh thank god!" and hugged me. Something happened that I don't know about.  
"what happened?" I ask and phil pulled away embarrassed.  
"You were whispering things and shaking violently. I am sorry to wake you up." he said sheepishly.  
"I was having a weird dream so thank you for getting me out of it." I got up and went outside our little cave to see if there was anything interesting. it was bright outside. Nothing really changed much besides that fact from the last time I saw it. No footprints or animal tracks to explain my dream.  
"if their anything out there?"  
"nope. Not that I can see but let's hope it isn't illegal to go past the walls. Let's keep walking." we got our stuff together and walked. We still had less than a mile to walk to get out of this desert and it's heat. Then there was about half a mile after that of the different landscapes crashing then the forest where we should be safe.  
"how long till we are out of this heat?" phil complained.  
"if you don't keep up it will be longer! Let's go!" he was like a good twenty feet behind me. He looked almost like a dog, tongue sticking out, on all fours, and somehow still excited even though it is exhausted. It was actually funny to watch.  
When we finally got out of the desert phil, for the first time, ran past me and starting drinking from a pool. "you just had water in your bottle. Why did you the river?" I asked, I didn't know what the answer was going to be.  
"I see them do that in movies." he answered looking back at me with a smile.  
From the time we walked we learned more about each other. He told me everything about himself while I listened. I am a loner type where I am okay with being with my thoughts and not talking for hours. Phil seemed to be about the same but still talked on occasions. We had many great conversations.  
The meadow type of land was a nice change to the desert. It was easier to walk in and it was just pretty. The sun was going down so I said "We should probably rest for the night. I think I packed a tent." I wrestled with the tent till it actually worked and you could actually get inside it.  
Phil had managed to get a campfire going (ya know, magic reasons) and I sat down next to the fire with phil somewhat across from me. I looked at the fire "I feel like there is another reason you left." he said. I didn't say anything and there was silence. I wasn't going to tell him, yet.


	3. Chapter 3

The day following was like the last, a long walk. We finally got into the forested part but instead of feeling relief because I would be safe I felt scared, and I wanted to know why.

No it wasn't much of an eerie forest feel but more of a terrified feeling then anything, I was on edge constantly. Every noise I jumped at. Phil literally hid behind me. And was worse by being bright, it looked like the forest from snow white (the animated one) but it freaked the heck out of me. It may have been that there were literally no animals to see or hear, or some shit had gone down in this forest and we were about to die. Both were equally likely.

"I don't like this." Phil said huddled behind me. "There is something wrong here. I can just feel it to my bones. But I can't see anything." the free seemed to not be able to sense things like the rest of the magics. We (or at least me) have this feeling in our gut that turns. Magics sense it by vibrations so they get tingly, (now that I am explaining it it sounds odd) but it is to help stimulate (I am making it worst am i?) the magic within them to help make it easier and more precise magic.

Then I saw a tip of something, and it wasn't a tree. I found out it was a warehouse that must have been abandoned years ago. It seemed to not have been touched for years. We are probably the first to see it. I looked in a window. And I ducked down and pulled Phil with me. There was someone in there.

It was clearly human, but they didn't seem to be a friendly. I didn't see much of them though. I looked through the corner of the window. Yep, there was someone in there. I ducked back down. I was processing what to do.

Phil was looking at me the whole time with a puzzled look. Clearly he didn't see the person. "What the heck?" he said but I couldn't formulate any type of sentence. I could barely make a noise. All I could do was put my index finger over my lips, I didn't know what to do but being quiet could help.

Then I heard a man's voice, it is weird how well I could hear him. I guess the walls are very thin or have no sound proofing. "Oh thank you for not escaping." I heard a muffled scream. "Don't scream. It just makes you suffer twice." I could hear his steps towards (what I assume was) the screamer. "But don't worry, it shouldn't hurt too much. You will still be able to live after it." for some odd reason he had this sexual vibe to his tone. Soft even though his words were harsh. "Got any other questions?" he asked. I heard a muffled scream again. "Oh, what is this for, you ask?" oh I hope he does answer that. "Well, I am keeping you alive so I'm not going to tell. I heard another muffled scream. "No I won't, because you are a powerful wizard and losing you would hinder my plan. Now, let's get on with it, shall we?"

A bright light illuminated for the inside as the muffled screams had become shrieks. I looked over at Phil to get away from looking at the light. He was a scrunched in an almost fetal position. I never realized we were still holding hands from when I yanked him down, but in this situation I needed the comfort.

When the light finished after about a minute I looked through the corner of the window. I was able to see inside more. There was a girl in a metal machine chair thing. She had a gag on and was strapped down. She looks like she was pretty but her skin was a grey and like she was covered in dust. She looked like a corpse but she was still breathing.

"See you survived. Now you can go." the man who was talking to her before was about as tall as me and had back hair. He looked perfectly fine and almost glowing. Like I think his skin was actually radiating light. He had a white button up shirt and black formal pants. He waved his hand and she disappeared and the restraints unbuckled and fell open. He waved his hand again and flew up a gallon sized jar that I hadn't really noticed. It had a powdery liquid inside that was gold with swirls of silver, and it glowed but very slightly. I had never seen it before but somehow I knew what it was. Magic Essence.

All my thoughts vanished. How? What? Why? I was too confused to function. But one thing was clear, he was taking people's magic.

Over the time I have been traveling with Phil I learned many things about him and one was that he is a wuss. I didn't know what the guy meant by "powerful wizard" but I was worried Phil heard it, and based on his facial features and his fetal position and the tight grip on my hand, he had.

I looked over at him to decide what to do. "We need to tell the Magnor." The Magnor is the people with power in Admirabilis. If anything is going wrong, you tell them. Or at least that is what we were taught.

Phil didn't look at me but nodded. So, we ran back to Admirabilis. Well, I ran, Phil glided on a cloud really fast. As we went I began to think that maybe we overreacted. He has only done this to only one person that we saw. But he did say he had a plan. It could have been my eyes and ears playing tricks on me. The forest did already seemed eerie so we could have totally made it bigger then it was.

I hadn't ran in years so my body rejected it but I was on so much adrenaline that I literally didn't notice that my legs were hurting and then my body gave in and fell. I called out to Phil. I couldn't move my legs without literally feeling like a million tons were on them. Phil looked back at me. He stopped and turned around and everything went black

I was fine, I think. I looked around and found we were about to be in the desert section. I was on a cloud. Why Phil didn't do it earlier is a mystery to me also but I didn't question it it further. I was not walking so this worked. I looked to see where Phil was. He was on a cloud behind me (relative to the way we were going) and watching the horizon with Admirabilis on the edge. With the speed we were going I had a feeling I wasn't unconscious for too long. What were we doing? They would never believe a free. But would it save people, yes, then we should at least tell them.

I looked at Phil and he saw me and smiled. He said, "Finally, you're awake! You were out for a while. Agree you never run again?" I nodded.

"A while?" I asked him.

"Well, it took me a long time to get you on that mist traveler." of course it is called that! I never learned that! Why did I have to be a free? "You were limp so I was trying to get you on there for a while. It's more difficult than you think." but we didn't talk much after that. Later I saw a flash from where the warehouse was. I guess there could have been another.

Now that I think about it there were some missing persons cases. Just like a mentioned on the news and posters but that was about it. There were not many that I can think of. There was one person on our street that went missing some time ago. I wonder if he was one of them?

Why wasn't Phil using his magic the whole time? I know he was is able to or he wouldn't be doing this. And I would think he would try and not do that because what we heard at that warehouse. He could be on that list. He could also be doing it so that he could get there quicker? But that doesn't explain why he didn't use the "Mist Traveler™" sooner or such. With how much we talked coming to the forest he never explained his magic and it makes me worry.

When we got to the wall we just simply glided over it and into Admirabilis and it was just as we left it 3 days ago. WHY DIDN'T WE DO THAT LAST TIME?! But as we came it I looked at Phil and he was looking around. Then he made a motion with his hand and he got off his cloud and it disappeared. Then I saw the jamkers come by. He waved at them. They waved back and we made our way through town.

It was hard being invisible because I couldn't see myself. It's just weird seeing people look through you, like literally they were looking through me. I waved through people and such. I had no idea how this magic worked but Phil looked at me many times in my eyes then blushed and looked away.

We made it to the Magnor building and Phil waved his hand and I was dropped and visible. He grabbed my hand and pulled me up and he pulled me into the building. He looked worried and on edge. He had changed. "What is going on?"

"I looked it up and the bill passed. You are currently illegal." he said and looked around. Great! This will be easy! I get killed and so does the whole city because of a guy in the woods. "And you can't be unseen or using magic in here because they have detectors so you will have to stay visible."

"You think I will make myself randomly disappear?" I said.

"Just informing you." he said still looking around.

Phil was scared and I was illegal. We made a great couple!


	4. Chapter 4

"So how do you suppose we tell them?" I asked.

"We join their meeting just to watch and then you can tell then what you saw." Phil said and looked into my eyes. He seemed serious and I had no idea how to react.

We were still in the Magnor building with my back to the corner and Phil like he was hiding me. He started to act weird after what happened at the warehouse, more defensive, reserved, and scared.

"We need to get seated." he said and grabbed my hand and pulled me into the main Magnor's room.

Wait? How am I qualified to do this? I am a free? Why would they believe me? I am a free? Why couldn't Phil do this? "Why me?" I asked him as we sat down near the isle.

"You saw what happened right?" he said looking me in the eyes. There was a harshness in his eyes, like he was serious now. He wasn't his wacky normal self. Why was he acting this way?

I nodded "Then you are more qualified than me to." he said with a sternness in his voice. I don't like this Phil. He's scaring me.

"The Boshk are ready to start the annual meeting of the Magnor for today." someone in the front said into the microphone. A line of people walked behind the large desk in a line and found their seats and started their meeting. They talked about projects in the community and other things they didn't care about.

"And our last topic," said the Head Boshk, "The missing people." everything got very somber. "Today we have only one missing person reported so that makes the total count 27 missing people."

"Why haven't we gone farther into this?" said one on the end. "Those are mothers, father, and children. Why are we almost acting like it is just another lose?" it was silent.

"We don't have enough information on this." said another.

"We are looking into it but we have had many months where we've found no leads." said one of the others.

"We promise people will be looked for them as soon as we find anything to lead us to anyone or where."

The Head of the Boshk asked. "Do we have any comments?" and someone went to the middle of all of them..

"Hello, I am Skylar Scott." The woman said. She looked like she had been worried.

"Hello, Skylar Scott. What do you have to say?" said the Head of the Boshk.

"My daughter has been gone for many weeks. I know where she was, what time, and who she was with but no one is taking that information from me to help. Why?" now that I think about it she did somewhat look like the girl who was in the warehouse that was drained.

"Well, I bet that they did take it but found nothing on any of the cameras. We are sorry for your lose. We are still looking." said one of the Boshk. "Anyone else?"

I shakily stood up and went to the center. "Hello, I am Daniel Howell."

"Hello there Daniel, what do you have to say?" the Head of Boshk asked me.

They knew my name now. I could already see some of them immediately ignore me. I tried to breathe, but it shook. I stood there,shaking. "I-I- uh I-" I stumbled. everyone was looking at me.

"If you aren't going to talk then just leave!" One of the Boshk said. yelled down at me.

Everything seemed so tall, and I was so small. everything seemed to grow by the second. I forgot who I was and why I was there. I was scared. I felt someone grab my hand. it was Phil and I relaxed and continued.

"I found a warehouse on the outskirts and I think I found where the missing are."

"Did you see any of them?" the Head of Boshk asked me.

"Well, not specifically."

"Then what did you see?" said one skeptically.

"Well, I saw that a man had a young girl with brown hair tied to a chair. Then he must have activated a machine and sucked her of life almost." people gasped.

They seemed more skeptical, except for the head. "What did he look like?" she asked.

"He had short black hair, a white button-up shirt, and fancy black pants."

She had a look on her face like she was thinking. "And what did she look like."

"She was about 16 and had on a yellow flower dress on."

I heard the first lady gasp. "That sounds like my daughter!" she said from her seat. "Where is she?"

I started to talk but one of the Boshk cut me off. "Why should we believe you?"

"Because i-"

"Because you are a free and have no capacity to emote?"

"Well, actua-"

"No! Your opinion is invalid! You can't feel so why would you look worried and scared for a wizard?" he mocked me. I gripped phil's hand. "And Philip Lester. Tsk tsk. You are believing this free? You are the most powerful wizard in centuries," That is why Phil was quick and was acting weird. He knows he is on that drainer list. "Maybe of all time. You of all people should know that a free can't feel emotions. Now why have you glommed onto this one?" the Boshk motioned to me. "And you believe him?"

Phil released my hand but I didn't want to go. Phil stood at attention. "I know the extent of my powers and my mind."

"Then why would you believe him? Nevermind, throw this illegal free into jail." and guards pushed past Phil and surrounded me. I was in handcuffs and forced to walk to an unknown location.

I was thrown into a cell with nothing but a bed and a toilet. "we will see to your crimes later." said one of the guards and they closed the door and left.

"So why are you here?" said a man next to me. He was younger but older than me.

"Well, I saw a-" I started

"No! Why are you still alive? Why are you here?" he said. I looked at him puzzled. Why was I here, and alive? "Cause we all know that almost all adult frees were killed when the law came out."

"What?" that means I am comforted to be the last free. But how did he know I was a free.

"They had no mercy when it happened." he started. "They all found everybody. Every single free was shot." he talked with such a heavy heart. "They even took frees that had learned magic, that could perform it just like they were born with it." he paused. "My wife was a free when she started. But she finally found her magic and was able to do it perfectly, like she had been doing it her whole life." he took a big breathe. "They found her one night and took her and shot her dead. I never saw her that day and I never seen her since. They took her body and gave me a note saying she was a free and resisted. It wasn't in her nature to resist so I knew that she wasn't the only one. So I asked the Magnor why they chose frees that learned how to do magic already, but they never told me. And then I did again and again till they just threw me in jail. And everyday in here I wondered why they thought doing this was a good idea."

"How am I still alive?" I said quietly.

I must have not been that quiet because he responded, "They must need you for something or something. I would watch your back if I were you."


	5. Chapter 5

Then panic began to set in. I was being kept for something and I wanted to know what but I was stuck behind bars. GREAT! Just great!

It was so dark in the cell. There was some light just from the candles. It was like this was made when the middle ages was still a thing. I decided to sit on the bed and sleep some. The bed was like sleeping on hay with a wool blanket, because it was. There was no mattress in here and there was just a blanket made with what I assume was real wool from a sheep. I looked at the toilet, it was like an out house one where it was a literally hole in the ground. Thankfully they must have done something after the last guy left because there was not much of a smell.

"How long till a trial is held?" I asked the guy who told me how his wife died.

"I have only been here a day. For all I know it could take 3 years." he answered and didn't seem the bit worried. Of course.

We will continue this story when I actually go to trial.

The door to my cell opened. "Your trial is now!" said one of the guards. It has only been minutes from when I got thrown in here. Guess he was wrong about the 'years' part. "Come on! We don't have all day!" I stood up, they cuffed me and lead me to another room.

The room was circular and had about 9 people in chairs behind desks around the wall. Above them were an observation area where people from the public can go and watch. Phil wasn't there making me feel abandoned. I had too many questions to ask him and he isn't here. At least he could have came for some time during the beginning to at least make me feel like I had someone on my side. But it's like he didn't even try.

"State your name!" boomed one of the judge's voices. It looked like they were growing slowly, like the room was stretching.

"Da-Daniel Howell." I stuttered.

"You are a free, is that correct?" he boomed again. My whole life it seemed more like Daniel 'Free' Howell but this time it seemed like a label then a name. My whole life it was like a middle name but the way he said it it made it a label even though i had gotten used to it. It felt weird, it made the room stretch further, like I was shrinking.

"Yes." I said, a little cowardly.

"Then why has he been summoned here?" asked another one. His voice didn't seem to boom like the other guy.

"Yeah, why is he here?" asked a girl on the side.

"Because he provided false information." boomed the first guy. What I said wasn't false? I saw it! I explained it to you! Only someone who saw that event could describe it in that detail! I maybe wrong on that but what I saw was not false.

"How false?" asked this nasally one.

"Fantasy worthy. And gave false hope to a citizen." He boomed again. "But most of all, he is a free that got past everything." the judges gasped.

"He shall be put to the sword!" yelled a really old lady.

"Hagatha, we don't use swords anymore." said the one next to her.

"Then he shall be burned!" yelled Hagatha.

"We don't do that either." the other said.

"We should not kill him!" boomed the one judge.

"Dang it!" yelled Hagatha.

The man in the cell was correct. They must need me for something if they want to keep me alive.

"Then what do you propose we do with him then?" said a scrawny woman.

"Let him go outside the wall."

"That would be his punishment? Being banished to the outside of the wall? It's like letting your dog outside your home. He is going to want to come back." said of of the judges.

"We didn't have him on record for 2 days. He must have left already." said a nerdy one.

"But this time we won't let him have a companion." the judge boomed. My head had lowered as this whole conversion. I looked up. I was going to be screwed. Ill be dead in hours!

"He will be dead in hours!" said the girl.

"Then he will, but we must not let the public know that we let a free survive." said this guy in the last chair. Everyone nodded.

"Guards! Take this free away!" yelled Hagatha.

"Just take him over the wall." said the other.

The guards grabbed me and shoved me out of the place. "Now how are we going to get him to the wall in a timely fashion?" asked one of them.

A bright light came right next me me and grabbed me. "This is how!" I heard a familiar voice say, and was engulfed in bright light.

And the last thing I heard was one of the guards saying "Well, that both solves and creates a problem."

I looked around and saw I was in a blue room. I looked to see who was holding me and it was Phil! "Why did you do that? I thought you abandoned me?" I didn't know what to feel. Happy? Mad? Betrayed? Calm? But I finally settled on mad, betrayed, and rejected.

"I was ushered into some meeting thing after they took you way."Phil said. "I would have saved you sooner but when I stepped out of the Mangor's main building and saw you I took the chance. But you have to keep going because they may be looking for you."

"I must keep going?"

"I can't risk it out there. He wants me and not you. We would be better separate."

"Are you saying that if something happened they would want me? I'm nothing! I'm a free! If they want me they are wasting their time!" I said and turned away from him.

"Then why would you still be alive?" he said. I closed my eyes and took a breathe. "Yeah, I heard about how all the other frees. And the wizards that were frees. They told me everything in that meeting." he paused. "I will send you to the meadows and you can continue from there."

"I am ready when you are." I said breaking the silence. He snapped his fingers and a white light engulfed me.

Looking around I found I was in a meadow, and i felt more lost than ever. To fight my emotions, I bit my lip. Even more then when I was told I was going to be in the free's class. My brain blanked. What now? I just started walking towards the forest.

Later that night I set up camp. I was still in the meadows but it was cold. But I had a weird dream that night.

I was in a room but no walls or ceiling, like the whole place was made of clouds. There was outlets to what my dream was last time. But it seemed as if someone came along and they built a little cloud house on the pillar. There was still monochrome colours. It was like a little house, there was a bed in the corner, a kitchen in another corner, a dining room in the middle towards the kitchen, and a livingroom.

"Hello there," said a familiar voice.


	6. Chapter 6

"Hello there," said a familiar voice. I turned to the dining table and a human shaped cloud was sitting in one of the chairs, and had its feet up on the table.

"Who are you?" I said stepping away from it.

"Oh, yes. I haven't ever introduced myself to you. I am Michael." he stood up and got walked to me.

I stepped away again. "Hello, I am-"

"Daniel Howell. The man to save. I know everything about you." now he is creeping me out. "You could say I am in love with you." he said like he was shy. I felt flattered but still uneasy that I had no idea who this man was and I had never seen his face. "Oh, it seems like you can't see me as perfect as most do. Oh well, I just wanted to say your welcome for saving you."

"Saving me?"

"It was hard! I had to transform into an old man for you at the Boshk. You know how rickety they are? I almost fell over like 13 times! It was insane how old people get around with just a cane. I could never live like that. And the stair! Ugh! Those were such a scary experience. I probably had like 5 near deaths experiences just walking up the stairs, then back down."

"Wait... what?"

"Then the judge that had the defining voice! I almost lost my hearing with that one! That guy needed no microphone. You should thank me! I went to a lot of work just for you. They would have killed you if they weren't all pushovers."

"What?" What was he talking about? I remember today but my subconscious wouldn't think of this, no matter how screwed up the day had been.

"You subconscious didn't think this up," It may be because he is like in my mind but it was like he read my mind. "Well, it did the outside but besides that you are actually getting a hologram-like dream where it is happening in real time."

"What?" I was confused on what he was saying, what was happening, and if he was telling the truth. Things began to disappear.

"Well, it seems like you are waking up so I will leave you with this. Don't die."

Then I woke up to the sun above the and cold. What was that dream? Was it real or was it something messed up with the day before or what but I didn't like it. I packed up camp and started walking.

I finally got to the forest but it didn't seem like it did last time. It seemed more like all the other places we have been. Just like there wasn't people being drained here. I knew that there was but it made me worry, that and my dream.

There wasn't much for me to do so I decided to just set up a semi-permanent camp for the next couple of nights until I figure out a proper home. There was a tree, and another tree, and another tree and if you walked further there was a tree, and if you walked in a different direction there was a freshwater lake, and a tree. Thankfully, and unnervingly, there was only trees in this forest, I know it is weird but that was the truth.

Thankfully all the trees made it so I could actually have a fire and keep warm. The night was like the other night before, lonely. I knew I wasn't alone it was just a feeling of lost. To get my mind off it I looked at the stars.

I learned back in school what constellations looked like, their names, and their stories where. I looked at the "W" in the stars, the only one I could remember the most of. That one was about Cassiopeia. She was a vain woman and looked at her mirror a lot, I think. The details are fuzzy but I remember she was banished to the stars upside down and holding her arms in a "W" for eternity. It's a weird story, most of the constellations have weird back stories. I don't remember all of them but I do recall they all ended with being banished to the stars. Then I thought past them being stories, but planets with life.

It is hard to think that, in the whole universe, this planet was the only one sustainable for life. Imagine all the things with lives. They could be like ours or totally different, they could look like us or not, they could act like us or be the exact opposite. With all that magic can do we haven't really advanced to the point where we can visit those different planets, and solar systems so we have not definitive answer we are alone. I was alone, in this universe of maybe billions on billions of beings. No one to talk to, no one that trust me, no one, and it scared me. So, to cope, I just fell asleep.

"I seen you have succeeded so far with my advice." I turned and the cloud man was there. It seemed like it was my last dream, and there was still monochrome colours. It was still a little house. It was like I never left. "You haven't died, yet."

"Okay, I want answers." I demanded. I quivered, can you do that in dreams?

"Ah, I have things to do kid, I can't answer many questions at the moment. But ask away."

"What am I to you?" I asked. It could help me to figure out who he is maybe.

"Oh, well, uhm." the cloud man turned pink. Was he blushing? "You could say you are my crush." the cloud moved its foot like it had just killed a bug under its foot. What was he talking about? Could this have been Phil but with an aliis? He seemed to be as tall as Phil, but this was just a dream. I did feel calmer in this cloud person's presence, so it could be Phil.

"What are you here for?"

"Sorry, I have to go, but remember, don't die!"

I woke up in a cart which rocked back and forth and I could feel forward movement. The destination being where was another question. The cart was made of wood where about two thirds was closed but the top was just poles holding up the roof. The bottom was covered in hay. There was a pillow under my head and I was under a blanket. I saw my stuff in my bag all packed. It was like I just slept in here instead of my little campsite, that I clearly remember setting up and making a fire, because I almost burned myself making fire, and also it took me a long time to get it started the first 5 times and the sixth I actually got it to light.

I leaned over and sorted through my bag. If there was something that somebody stole then it wasn't important because everything seemed to be there. I figured I must have been in there for an amount of time. But I can't tell you how long I was in there because the sky didn't show any sign of a sun rise and the forest all looked the same.

The cart finally stopped. I tried to not make any noise, because they put me in here and if I didn't make a sound then they would total think that I had just vanished. Cause ya know, logic. You turn invisible if you do not breathe or move. I saw the doors in the back swing open and there was someone holding a lantern.

"Oh, finally, you're up. You've been out for a while." and I remembered that black hair.


	7. Chapter 7

"What do you want?" I said. I had no way out besides past him.

"It is very hard to explain." he said, his black hair, his white button up shirt, and the fancy pants. This was they guy who drained that girl some nights ago.

"Then tell me." I was not trusting him. Why would he want me in the first place? I have no magical powers.

"Ugh," he said." Calm down. I forgot you are defencive. Now I have to do this again, My name is Michael, your name is Dan Howell and I am not here to hurt you. Well, I don't know if it will hurt you but it shouldn't." The man of my dreams (not that type of way you weirdos) was right here and he had drained someone of their magic. But why would he want me? "Come on kid. I told you it is hard to explain but I still need you alive for just a while. It will be over before you know it."

"But where are you taking me?"

"That is also complicated to describe and I don't want to. It won't take long so just sleep for a while, read, do whatever as long as you stay here and alive. Let's keep going." he shut the door and the cart started moving again. I wonder if I could get out from the door at the back? "Don't think about it Howell." Michael said. "I latched the door. You can't get out through there." was he reading my mind? "Yes I am. It makes it easier to talk to people sometimes." oh well, it was useless so I decided to take a nap.

"Oh seems like you are awake now." Michael said. I looked and I wasn't in the cart anymore. I remember these spells now. My parents would do this when I would fall asleep not in my bed so they would move me and somehow it never disturbed me. I, of course, hate when people use magic on me. "I'm sorry, you looked too cute and peaceful to disturbed." Michael continued.

"Can you stop reading my mind. It gives me a weird feeling in my head." I said, rubbing my head. I tried to see where I was. I was in a bedroom. I was on a king sized bed. Covers over me and… wait… I didn't own pajamas like this!

"Well, you do look cute in them." Michael said. Can he just let me keep my thoughts? He walked over to me and sat on the bed across from me. "There are sometimes I don't read thoughts, and that is just for the fun of it." he leaned in close to my face. What is he trying here? "I know you will come around. But first, you need to start training. Your clothes are in there." he said and pointed to a closet. "Change in them and then come out and there will be a butler to escort you to the room." he got up and went to the door. He gave me another look up and down and bit his lip. What is he doing?

What am I supposed to do? I need to get out of here. I wanted to be alone. Not with whoever he thought he was. I wished I had, no no I can do this. I need to get out but I have no plan. There was a knock at the door.

"Come in?" and an old guy with a white mustache and what was left of the hairs on his head were white as well. He was wearing a tuxedo and had one of those like towels over one of his arms that he held at like a 90 degree angle across his body.

"My master has a suspicion you may leave," he said in one of those classic butler accents from the movies. "And thus ordered me to watch over you." I really wished this michael guy would stop reading my mind. I wonder how much he has been, like how long has he been doing this?

"Well, I would prefer you not watching over me was I change." I said and he faced away from the closet. It was weird having him there and thankfully there was a partition there so I used that, but it didn't help.

Now I am stuck with this guy for probably for the whole time I am here, which I hope won't be long. I got dressed, in what was a white full body suit that was padded, and the old butler lead me to a fencing room. Michael stood in the middle with his fencing under his arm with his sword in hand.

As I walked in he looked me up and down and smiled. "I see the suit fits you well." He said. _Just get through this and then you will be closer to freedom._ "So, you ready?"

"Ready? For what?"

"Ready to train, of course!" he said and the old butler came up to me with a fencing helmet and I took it and put it on. Michael stood on a platform and but his helmet on. He got in the fencing stance, you see in movies, he looked at me and tapped his sword on the ground. Guess he wants me to stand there.

I went over and got in the same stance. He lunged and I leaned to avoid it. I lunged at him and he avoided it. It went that way for a long time, and it got faster as we went. After a while one young girl came in and stated, "Master, lunch is ready." and left

"Let's eat! I am famished."and he guided me to a beautiful dining room. It must have been for fancy events because it looked like something from a fairy tale with a grandfather clock, long table and about three chandeliers to light the tall ceiling and the long room. It seemed like everything was made of gold, it must have been the lighting, but most of it was made of just really pretty the long table there was two places set, and hey were right next to each other, one a the head and one to i's right.

I am left handed so it would make more sense if I was on his left side or on the other side of the table but I wasn't and I didn't like it. Like we are probably going to bump arms the whole time and it'll be weird.

You may be thinking _but he may be the one on the left. You are his guest, he could put you at the head of the table._ You would be wrong. He walked over and pulled out the ornate chair on the right of the head and motioned for me to sit, reluctantly I did and he pushed in my chair. He sat down at the head, and motioned to the maid who came in earlier while we were training. She nodded and went off.

We were alone many minutes. They must have the kitchen or the food far from here. I stared at my empty plate, hands in lap. This is as awkward as it could be. I planned not to eat even though my stomach yelled for food. I don't know what is in there but I wanted no part in it. I needed out of here.

I felt a hand on my thigh and I felt myself go white. Now I realized why he wanted me right here. I just stared at my plate with wide eyes. I tried moving my leg but couldn't shake him. _This will all be over. This will all be over._

The door swung open and I looked up to see the maid with a cart with two bowls on it and two sandwiches. She place one of each in front of both of us. _Finally._ I thought, _he will have to eat so he will take his hand on my leg._ And I was correct. He lifted his hand and he ate while I just sat there. My stomach was protesting my choice but I didn't trust this.

Michael finished his meal and wiped his face with a napkin and said, "You ready to continue?" he didn't question my food, thankfully. I nodded and he lead me to a library.

The library had a domed ceiling in the middle where it showed the night sky with different constellations. The rest of the room was covered in shelves upon shelves of different books. The only place with no shelves was under the dome where there was a living room type setting. There was two circular couches that faced each other with a very furry carpet in the center.

Michael sat down on the carpet and motioned for me to sit next to him. I sat a little farther away from him. "okay," he said. "now you need to learn how to channel energy." what was he talking about? "What you do is you focus on something, anything, and you just almost forced yourself onto it. Then you pull it back to you. Let me show you." he closed his eyes and took a deep breath opened them and stared into mine. And just awkward staring for a while then he closed his eyes again then somehow he changed. He looked the same it is just like he glowed or something, it was hard to put my finger on it. When he opened his eyes it stopped. "Now you try."

Oh Helios, I would never be able to do this. I have a problem where I can get distracted. One minute I am talking about how to save the world then the next I am wondering how unicorns (if they were real) could poop rainbows. Cause they would have to have a digestive track that would make it so it organizes the colours after it like extracts the different colours from their food. See I get side tracked very easy, reason this is not going to go that great for me.

I decided to concentrate on the carpet. I was thinking it would work best because I could feel it, I could see it and it was just nice to look at. It also wasn't awkward to stare at, so that was a bonus. I did as he did and closed my eyes and took a deep breathe. Then I opened my eyes and stared at the carpet. And I just sat there, holding my breath. Should I like stop? Should I just continue till it feels right? What should I do? I started to push more energy to the carpet. But there was nothing. In frustration I finished it like him.

"Well, you just started so it will take some time to master it and get a grip on it." but for the time being you may read any book in here. It may help." he stood up and pointed to random spots in the room. "There is mythology, biology, astrology, scientology, aerobiology,-" and named a bunch of ologies. So I started with astrology and got to work.


	8. Chapter 8

The book was full of facts I'll probably never use, and thus my mind wondered. I have not had any food the whole day so my stomach groaned. But to keep my mind off of the pain in my stomach and focused on anything else. I thought of the last conversation I had with with Phil. I felt bad for leaving him but I had to, I think. He could have gone with me but in the current situation it makes sense. Phil would have been drained the moment we got here. I wished that law was never a thing. I wished I had magic. It would make everything easier. I probably wouldn't be in this situation and be home and playing on my laptop or something. I would be able to do things with Phil. I won't feel like I wasn't wanted.

A voice cut through my thoughts as I scanned the pages. "Dinner is ready, Master." the maid said. I looked up.

"Thank you. We will be there in a second." Michael said. He looked at me. "Let's eat." it is hard to describe how he said it but it was like he was going to eat something else, that wasn't food.

The dining room was still about the same but for some reason this time it looked more silver than gold. The wood even looked silver. How they did that is still a mystery to me but I went along with.

We sat in the same places as last time and thankfully he left me alone. There was akward silence and then the maid came in with the food. It looked like it was meat covered in barbecue sauce or something like it with mashed potatoes and some vegetables that were steamed. She left and then more awkward silence as we ate. By we I mean him because I still had no faith in this man who for some reason is showing me hospitality and isn't mentioning him draining people.

He finished and looked at me. "You may go to your room now." Michael said with a smirk. This guy must have the boundaries of a child. I stood up from the table, the old butler guided me to my room and he shut the door behind me.

I felt alone but I had a feeling Michael could still hear me thinking, so technically I was not. I decided to change into the pajamas he gave me and I got ready for another day.

Later that night I decided to go and wonder the place to find some regular food like Pringles or maybe just cheese since I haven't eaten in less then 24-hours, and maybe know my way around, because if he was having me have a babysitter while I am here I might as well know my way around so if we go anywhere weird I could know. I went to the door my and opened it, well tried to. It didn't seem to budge.

"Oh, sorry." I heard what I assume was the old butler say from the other side of the door. "I locked the door because I knew you were a flight risk. This door is only opening for me or Master Michael." defeated I went to bed.

The next day was the same as the day before. barely changed. It was like I was Bill Murray in Groundhogs Day, cause so was the next day. I couldn't leave. I tried many times but Michael would always have thought ahead. Days after days of training, eating, training, eating, sleeping, wake up and repeat I was almost normal. I got some of the layout of the place (mostly from the dining room to the training rooms) and could walk myself to where I needed to go.

Michael seemed to be less annoying everyday. he still had no boundaries but I sort of got used to the outburst of it. One time I teased him back and he looked so proud.

After about two days of not eating I fell victim to the best food, mashed potatoes and brown gravy, steak, green beans, and stuffing. It was probably the best I have ever had, which may have just been the hunger talking but it was just the most magical food I have had. Then today there was a dessert of turkish delight. I was happy I ate those, meaning I had more then one.

The training stayed the same. By day seven I realized that during the "channel energy" training I felt something when I did it. Like somehow it was working like I could somehow do magic. But I can't do magic. Wait, what if I can just not the right way. Maybe this training is actually helping. Maybe it was a combination of many things but I feel like if I tried harder I could do magic.

About day 15 everything seemed normal almost. It was a routine that I had to do and I was okay to do it. And by that time I could do magic. It was amazing. I could do anything, well, almost anything. I was still under Master Michael's rules so I still had to go to my room and stay there and I couldn't do anything that would hurt the palace and stuff like that.

I thought of Phil almost everyday. What we could be doing, if I was with him. But it all turned out of we would have to change an aspect of ourselves to be together right now. And I didn't think that that was right.

Dinner didn't seem right for some reason in day 16. Master Michael, like normal, put his hand on my thigh, but this time it glided up and down my thigh. It wasn't that awkward I think but my brain went into a panic, but I was calm. It was the most confusing feeling. The meal came out and we began to eat. Master Michael was still rubbing my thigh. In a panic I stood up and announced. "I need to wash my hands before I eat."

"Okay it's down the hall. You won't miss it." I quickly went there and shut the door and held back my tears. I was in a panic. was it the food or was it Master Michael or something else. I fell to the floor. the door opened and Michael came in, I freaked out and backed up. he gave me a soft smile and extended his hand. I accepted it and thought he was helping me stand but he grab my hand and pulled me into a kiss. it tasted like sweet and sour sauce from Wendy's. he stopped and looked at me. I didn't know what to feel. I was freaking out. he pushed me to the wall and kissed me again, still the Wendy's sweet and sour sauce.

I could have pushed him away. I could have pinned him with magic. I could have done anything but I didn't. My mind screamed and panicked then shut down. My body wanted this. It wanted someone or something. No, no, no, no, no. We kissed again and it turned on my mind. What I am I doing? Master Michael already had taken his shirt off and now he was helping me with mine. No, you need to get out. You need to get out of here. For some reason my mind was yelling for me to leave but my body wouldn't listen.

Master Michael started to take me somewhere when my body finally listened to my mind. It wasn't a place I normally go and as we went it got a little fancier. Wait, I have a feeling where we are going. What do I do? I wanted to resist but his hand gripping my wrist enough where we was almost dragging me.

The room was like one where you think you would see I like a king's palace. Fancy and creams with gold and blues. The bed was bigger then a king and had a canopy over it that matched the comforter, well all the fabrics matched. The couches, the dresser, and the chairs. The furniture that wasn't covered in furniture was covered in cream paint with gold trim. It was beautiful, until I was thrown to see the ceiling. I froze, I had no idea what to do. I closed my eyes and wished to be anywhere but here.

Something felt different. I looked around. I was in the meadow. Wait, I forgot I was able to do magic now. I had been trying to figure out how to teleport for a while but I didn't know that was how you did it. I kind of missed the palace. It was pretty and had good food and there was a really comfortable bed. But for some reason I didn't want to go back. I decided to just stay in the meadows this time. The forest seemed to make things worst.

Since the meadows was really flat there was no way I could find a campsite better then not having to walk so I started to set one up, by that I mean I just used some magic and it all appeared. I love being able to use magic now. I sat down by the fire, and I decided to look around. Wait, was is that silhouette? Who? Then they came into some view, and my heart skipped a beat.


	9. Chapter 9

I saw Phil was meandering my way. I wondered if he knew it was me or not. He seemed like he was trying to find a place to set up camp for the night, just looking around. The whole time I tried not to seem like I had already noticed there was someone coming my way. He must have seen the fire because he looked at me and started to actually walk my way rather then just sauntering. As he got closer I think he found who was sitting and tending to the fire, because he started to walk faster. He quickly sat down in front of me. "Hi!" he said cheerfully.

I looked up from the fire. I didn't know how to react. The last conversation we had didn't go great. I have been regretting how it ended for the past 16 days. Don't get me wrong, I really missed Phil it is just the conversation and events of the last day we spent together resonated in me, pulling my smile away. All I could think to say was "Hey." but every excitedly, and I looked back at the fire. It was weird to be able to think something and no one comments on it.

I could see Phil heard what I was feeling even though I had only spoken one word. He looked at the fire also. After a while of silence he said "How have you been doing?"

I had no idea how to answer. I didn't feel like it was time to tell him what actually happened. "Going pretty well," I said. Technically I hadn't lied. Michael's palace wasn't the best but I could have been in so much worst conditions, but it was nice to finally be able to be in Phil's presents again. For the last couple of weeks all I had was the thought of him. I felt safe which was weird because I didn't have that a couple of hours ago. "How have you been doing?"

"Well," he replied. "Admirabilis is weird. There are less people and the look of my house got boring." he paused. He looked up at me "You were on the news. People don't know what to make of the whole situation now. Some believe you, others think you are insane. But the people who believe you are not taking it lightly."

UGH! I felt stupid! Why did I do that? Now people hate me! I should just stay out here. "Cool." I felt like I was imploding, like my stomach just pulled in on itself. I wanted to tell him what happened but it just didn't feel right even though it felt like it was forcing it's way up.

"I stayed in my house most the time because I was afraid of being captured, and some people who didn't like you were at the house." he had a tone of despair. I hate myself. I should have just stayed out of the wall. Phil would have not had to deal with that.

After a while of not knowing what to say, "Wanna camp here for the night?" I offered. It may help me detach for the last weeks, and also him.

"If you have a place." he said. I nodded. I snapped and the tent grew to fit two. He eyes went wide. "You just did magic! How?"

I had to think of something, "Well, I tried for a while then I was able to." if I heard that response then I would have not believed it but it was technically true. But it still made no sense why I could do it now.

"You can go back to Admirabilis!" he exclaimed. I got excited, I could go home! Then a thought crossed my mind.

"They have killed all people who were a free." I said. "Even if I did go back I would be dead real quick." What if Michael saved me? He did when I was at the Boshk and in front of the judges. I pondered that thought for some time. "We could still give it a try." I said and looked up at him. He looked so happy, and I smiled back at him. It had been so long since I smiled. We put out the fire and went to sleep.

This was no where near my last dream. I was in a large room like a dinning room. The whole room was made with black flames, no heat just a scary presence. The dining table was extremely long and had no places set, well, except for two. A placemat, silverware, glass, and a plate was at the head and another set sat next to it in front of the chair to the head's right. I knew this place! It was the dinning room I ate in that is in Michael's palace. Why was I here?

"Oh, Daniel." I heard a voice in the corner say. The cloud man (a.k.a Michael) was back. He was leaning against the wall with one foot on the wall and his arms crossed. He never looked at me. "Why in the world would you leave this place?" he got off the wall and took some steps towards the middle of the room, just staring at the floor.

I tried to speak but my throat took my words before I said them. Why am I here?

"I really tried to give you a place to relax and learn magic. You were happy and I knew you were, but you left me." the flames grew tenser. "I gave you magic and you left me. You could have been greater! You could have been better than everyone else that has ever casted magic, and you threw that away!" the flames danced like it was a rave.

"I-"

"Oh, save your breathe!" his head looked my way. For the first time I could see eyes, but they were red. I stepped away from him. "You see me as a threat again? Even though I gave you everything?"

"But I-"

"Don't even try, Danny! Next time we meet, You will regret this."

I woke up and my heart was beating fast. That, I think, was a threat. I hope that wasn't Michael but just my subconscious creating that but I don't trust my subconscious would ever create that.

Phil was still asleep so I waited outside till he awoke. "You ready to head back?" Phil said as he got out of our tent.

"I have been thinking and I don't think that I should." I said. Phil sat down next to me. "I just feel like I won't be safe."

"I understand," he said. "but I probably shouldn't be here for long either. The guy who is draining people is probably looking for me." I totally forgot he didn't know what his name actually was, "And the longer I am here the better chance he probably has to find me." well, I would make sure we would probably stay away from the forest just because what I have gone through in there.

"Wait," I thought out loud. "What if we just try and take him down? Like we take matters into our own hands?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean go and fight Michael!"

"Michael?"

Shit. ahh, lets just "The guy who drains people, his name is Michael." Phil won't ask about that!

"How-?" He did.

"But since Admirabilis probably won't help us because we have no proof and they sure as hell won't believe me-"

"What are you planing?"

"We are going to fight Michael."

"How are you planning that."

I had to think for a while. How could we go about that? Well, we could go back to his warehouse and help there, or we could go straight to him and finish it?

"I may have an idea." I said.


	10. Chapter 10

"So, what have you been doing these past couple of weeks?" Phil asked. I couldn't think of a lie, but I didn't want to tell him the truth. I don't want to scare him anymore then he was already for himself. I think the only reason he agreed to help me with the plan was that I had magic now, and if something wrong happened then the other could magic out of it.  
"I was just out here." hopefully he didn't press further. I wanted to tell him, but he would worry more and I don't want him to.  
We had been walking for sometime to the forest. We were heading in about the right direction of where we needed to be. My plan wasn't foolproof but it would work if everything was exactly or someone exact to what I wanted.  
"Just doing nothing?  
"Yep." I lie. And I hate that I said that but he would worry, I know he would. I saw Phil didn't look like he was convinced at my story but he didn't press further. "Was Admirabilis really that changed since I left?" I asked.  
"Well," he sighed. "Not too much. It has more of a scary feel to it almost. But, it may have been the 25 or more people who shouted outside my house for hours every so often. But the news had talked about another missing persons case." I knew that the one time Michael left during the reading training was not good. Why was he taking more people? "But thankfully, I never had a problem because I thought I would be safer inside my house than roam Admirabilis." he seemed like he wasn't happy about that. "After a while I needed out of the house so I teleported over the wall and started looking for you." he looked over at me with a smile and I smiled back at him. I felt bad for him, but I wondered if I was in his thoughts as much as he was in mine.  
I felt something pressing at my chest. "How many did they kill?" I asked.  
"What?"  
"You said they told you everything so they must have told you how many they killed." I felt like I was going to cry.  
"203." he said with a sorrow tone. 203 wizards and frees killed because of the jamkers being pieces of shits and taking the law the wrong way. I bet all they did was get them where no one could see and, shoot them then claim they were "resisting" so they "had to". I had a feeling that if we were going back to Admirabilis that probably the moment that a jamker finds me that I will be like the rest of the frees, dead.  
We walked in silence until we got to the warehouse. We stopped. "Are you sure that this is a good idea?" Phil asked  
"Nope!" I said and continued walking towards the warehouse, and Phil ran to catch up with me.  
"I'm having regrets on this." he said.  
"Well, you agreed already. We can do this." I said.  
I walked to a window, crouched and looked through the corner so see what was going on at the moment. No one seemed inside. I heard a heavy metal door open I ducked and pulled Phil with me then I hear the door slam shut. I heard a voice from about where the door closed say, "And now he is with that wizard." Michael. "Unless they are separated then it will be hard to get either of them."  
"Well, sir" said a robotic voice. "It seems like that the wizard he is with is next on our list."  
"I know, but they both have magic." Michael said. "If I make the wrong move then they are both gone." he was talking about me and Phil, I just knew it. I looked to see Phil with a puzzled look on his face, he had no idea what Michael was talking about, thankfully.  
"I thought the one had none." said the robot. Phil, don't notice. Please.  
"Well, I did the stupid move of showing him how to use magic and he ran, like I told you." Michael said. "But I have never seen how long it will last." Phil, please, not make the connection.  
"What do you mean, sir?" said the robot.  
"Well, it's very hard to explain and it would be better if I just uploaded it to you later. Then I won't have to worry about people hearing."  
I concluded that this could last for a long time, or not. But I didn't want to focus on that, we needed the plan. I looked at Phil, he was either piecing together what Michael had just said, or confused on what had happened. I hoped it was the latter. But I grabbed Phil's hand and pulled him around to a door. I took a breathe and started to walk in then Phil pulled me back.  
"What, was he talking about?" Phil looked scared and had a serious tone. He had found out.  
"It's fine." I said and turned to walk through the doors again when Phil pulled on me again.  
"What happened the two weeks you were alone?" he said. I thought an excuse, and my eyes went wide. "Or were you alone?"  
"Can we do this later?" I said. Phil sighed and let go of my hand. I looked around to see what was in the warehouse. Nothing seemed different from the little looks I have had. Michael was on a balcony looking over the whole warehouse with his back to us. I stepped inside.  
"Daniel?" Michael said but still didn't look at me. "Why would you come back?" he turned around. Don't notice Phil. "You're with another! Perfect!"  
"Why are you doing this?" I said.  
"What exactly are you referring to?'  
"Kidnapping people. Draining people. Taking me and teaching me magic in your palace." there was really no plan now, cause I forgot what it was. Yes, I formed it but that doesn't mean I would remember it.  
"You didn't tell your friend," Michael said friend with a sharp hurt tone "that why he couldn't find you for days and days of wandering outside the wall was because you were with me? Oh, well, he knows now." I turned to see Phil paler than normal and staring at me. I bit back pain.  
"You are avoiding the question." I said. "Why are you-"  
"Fine! I am just borrowing people at the moment. They are fine. They are still alive and some are eating and all of them are sleeping."  
"Why are you draining them?" I pressed.  
"Because you know the food you ate for the past, what was it, 15 days?" What did he do to it? "Well, there was a reason you can do magic."  
"What do you mean?"  
"Do I really have to explain it? Your friend there got it. How could you not get it yet? Fine I'll explain it. I take powerful wizards because they have more, what did you call it, magical essence is it?" he started to walk down the stairs. "But the machine doesn't take all the magic. It just takes enough so they can grow it back but barely." What is he meaning? "So, technically, since magic sustains our life forces, it kills them just enough so they survive." I think he is keeping people. "Well, they have food and a little place of their own and after some days we start it over." wait. I have to process this. "Enough!" he said as he got to the bottom of the stairs. "You need to keep training and," Michael pulled pen and paper out of a pocket, and read it. "it seems like your boyfriend right there," Michael pointed. I went pale and looked at Phil. His eyes went wide. Michael knew what he had said, and he knew what it did to us. "Is next on my list." he snapped his finger and the black flames from my dream erupted from doors behind him and flew towards us.  
"Run!" I said. I ran to Phil, grabbed his hand, pulled him into my pace and ran for the outside. We just ran and ran. My legs were ready to give but I looked behind me and the flames kept up with us. Somehow my hand slipped from Phil's but I trusted he was behind me somewhere. I just kept going because I knew that the flames were coming closer than what I would like.  
I found myself in an unfinished building. I looked around, Phil wasn't around. "Phil?" I yelled. There was nothing. "Phil!" still silence.  
"Oh, looking for me?" I looked and it was Phil, no, it wasn't. I remembered that Michael was the only person I have ever heard that transformed into other people. That must be him. His body was like a tele with static, but it formed back to what Phil looked like. He did a smirk and raised is hand and threw it down and the building fell with it. I looked up and everything fell on me and went black.

I woke up and found debris was on me, crushing me. I waved my hand to use magic. I waved it. Nothing moved. I waved it again and things shifted but didn't move. My magic must have worn out. I just didn't have magic, just like a free. I pushed on the rumble and found a way out and gasped for air when I climbed out of the debris. I look to my left and Michael as Phil was still there. I got up and ran. He must have stretched his arm and grasped me around my neck and pulled me to him.  
"Where is Phil?" I said gasping. He had his arm around my neck just enough to breathe but still can't do it right.  
"Oh don't worry." he said. He leaned into my ear and whispered "He is doing just fine." his breath made me tingle.  
This was not Phil, I kept having to say, this is not Phil. I struggled from his arm.  
"Oh please," he said. He leaned into my ear again. "Daddy is just fine." this is not Phil. I grasped his arm in rage and loosened myself and ran. I must have done something because he didn't fight back, or grab me. So, I ran far away from the forest.


	11. Chapter 11

I huffed as I found myself in the meadows. I had ran without stopping for so long my legs collapsed under me when I found I was in the clear. My legs felt like rubber and I knew for some time I won't be able to walk or get up. I had nothing. No tent, no blanket, no food, no magic, no one. What was I to do? The sun was falling to the horizon but it still had couple or more hours until a star came out. I tried to stand but my legs refused to carry weight.

I had thought ran across my mind. What had happened to Phil? Michael did say Phil was on his list, does that mean? No, Phil would have resisted. Wait, every person who has been taken by him probably would have resisted, so Phil had no chance. Did the black flames get him when I let go of his hand? How long was it Phil that I was with? Does the black flames make it so magic is disabled? No, no it couldn't, could it? Michael was controlling them it seemed so how could he be? Was he creating them? I may be wrong also where the fire teleports people. Where was Phil teleported then? Probably where everyone else Michael wanted to drain was. But what if the flames just kills people? No, no Michael wouldn't have done that, would he?

My head then felt like it was compressing. Then I heard a voice, "What? You're going to nothing now?" it sounded like Michael, "That is odd? Hear that Philip? Your little Danny boy is doing nothing to save you!" no, I want to but-. The pressure intensified. "No, you aren't. You know you won't. Your safe, why would he matter? You will stay safe." no, I would help him, somehow. The pressure felt like it doubled to make it so all I wanted to do was rip off my head. Then it stopped and I loosened my gripped on my head. I looked up to see a bright flash of light came from about where the warehouse was. I looked at it, and my heart sank to my toes. I knew what had happened. He drained Phil.

Phil was still alive. Phil was still alive. Phil was still alive. I had to convince myself. Of course he is fine, he is a powerful wizard. If Michael drained him there would still be some left. What if Michael made it more powerful to make the most out of him and it went wrong? No, no, no, no, Phil is alive and I can save him. I will save him. He will be okay and we can just go home and live out the rest of our lives together. Michael knows he will get me there if I know if Phil is still alive, he must. I just, my brain is blank at the moment. I can't even find the words to form a sentence. My thoughts were nonexistent, besides one. I wanted Phil back.

I sat there for hours looking in the way of the warehouse doing nothing for I don't even know how long. All I remember is waking up laying down. My legs still felt weird but were able to hold weight now. All I could think was getting Phil safe again. But I couldn't think how to besides just running in there, finding him and getting him out of there quickly. So, that is what I was going to do.

I remember the doors in the back had like a stair system down to where I needed was a hope. I would check there first. But before I executed it, I needed to get my legs so they felt normal or get used to the gnawing pain. So, I sucked it up and went to save Phil.

Yep! I should have totally let my legs feel normal again because they just don't want to do anything. And that is not good when you are full of adrenaline cause when your legs don't want to move quicker then a walk but your body and mind are egging to run, it makes it unbearable. But I did eventually get to the warehouse. I had expected Michael to be in there and waiting for me to be back, but there was no sign of him anywhere. No lights were on in the warehouse, nothing seemed like it was touched for hours, and it worried me. But then it didn't. I knew Michael was up by now because I was forced to be up earlier than this for the days I lived in his palace, which the more I think of it makes no sense. I assumed Michael wasn't going to be here for some time or not at all today so I went into the warehouse.

I shuffled along the walls and shadows until I got to the back doors. But which door do I chose? I hopped they went to the same place. I picked a door and I was scared to opening it. There could be more of the black fire behind here, but the fire didn't feel warm so does it really burn?

I quickly threw the door open and looked, nothing. It was just a stairwell that lead down. I tiptoed down the stairs. Slowly I saw the room full of cages about the size of dog kennels everywhere. I went through the rows and rows of cages looking through all of them only to find drained corpses of people: elderly, adults, teens, even children. I tried my hardest to ignore them but it was hard, it was much worse then walking through a graveyard. At least at a graveyard you can't see anyone dead.

Hoping he would answer I yelled "Phil!" I heard a moan from far off. I yelled again "Phil?" another moan. I ran towards it and kept yelling "Phil!" like a very depressing version of a Marco polo game, but it worked.

I finally found Phil and I wanted to cry. He looked like the others but still somehow alive. His skin was grey and sagging, like it had aged fifty years while the rest stayed the same. His face and black hair was filled with dirt, dust and who knows what else. His shirt was burnt and torn as if he was lashed or burned but there was no marks on his body. He was lying on the floor like he was thrown and didn't have the ability to move, or will, to move.

" Phil?" I said softly. He moaned. "What-what happened to you?" he looked like he tried to move but couldn't. I couldn't figure out how to get the cage opened. I realized that I needed a key, and guess what I didn't grab... Yeah... And I had no idea where to find any. "I will be back, Phil. I promise" I felt bad for leaving him alone again but I had to. I found the stairs again and went back into the warehouse.

I sifted through all the drawers, nothing. Looked through all the cabinets, nothing. I basically did an unprofessional thorough search the whole room. "Looking for something?" I turned expecting Michael, but it was the old butler from his palace, but why was he here? "Michael sent me expecting you to be here. He didn't want to come in person, so he sent me."

"What are going to be with me then?" I needed to know, Michael wouldn't be here unless I was going to be used.

"He sent me here on orders to stop you and take you back." he said. Of course he did. He probably wants to train me more. "But," wait, "I'm not going to do that."

"Wait, what?"

"I was told to guard you at night." of course, I heard him my first night. I think he even had the key to my room or the magic password or something to make it open. I'm not surprised that it lasted more than one night. "And the walls in your room were built in such a way so anything was audible to the outside." that is a little weird. By a little I mean a lot. "And every night I would hear you talking about ` Phil'." oh, uh, well, I guess I could have? "I didn't know who that man was but I inferred that he wasn't a stranger. When Master Michael said he had taken a man named Phil I guess he was the one you were sleep talking about." He held up a ring with a three very different keys on it. "You can have these, if you promise me one thing." oh no. "that, when the time comes, you chose right."

"What do you mean?"

"You will chose right, even if you have to hurt because of the result."

I had no idea what he was talking about "I promise?" What did he mean by right?

The old butler walked up to me, placed the keys in my hand and clasped his hands around mine. "I trust you will." he let go and walked out of the warehouse.

What had just happened? I didn't question it for too long, I ran down the stairs and I had the keys in hand. I searched through the cages found Phil again and he had gained colour but still looked weak. He was standing and was holding onto the bars, but very loosely. I found where the key needed to go and opened it. He ran to me and hugged me. He stepped back and gained breathe from running.

He leaned in and kissed me. then pulled away, then he gained a scared look on his face. "I am so sorry I just-"

"No, no" I smiled. "It's fine." he blushed and we kissed again.


	12. Chapter 12

We needed to get out of the warehouse because Michael could be here any second, or not. For all we know he could be in the warehouse just waiting for us or not. I started to walk and Phil grabbed my hand. I looked back and he was lying on the floor. Being drained must have taken a lot out of him. I wonder how everyone else in here got drained before Phil but somehow they were still like corpses. None of them really moved. I wasn't sure if their were dead, or just mostly dead. How did Phil get drained after them but is more alive? It could be that he is a powerful wizard, but at least someone would be functionable, right?  
But the question still stood, how can we get out of here? Magic was off the table because I can't use it and Phil should not even think of using it. Then I remembered that here was magical essence, maybe if I give some to Phil it could help him? But where is it was a problem, because I had no idea but I had a guess. When I saw Michael with it I didn't see where he placed it but I could see a glow of gold somewhere. I started to walk towards it but Phil hand tugged me back. He forced himself up and wobbled. I tried to steady him but he fell into my arms.  
I told him a plan, "If you just wait I can grab the magical essence-"  
"No!" he interrupted. "I can walk." his eyes looked lifeless.  
"You are doing well at that." I tried to lighten the mood.  
He glared at me. "Let me just try again-" I sat him up on his feet and he wobbled again. But this time he could stand for a little then fell into my arms again. I couldn't bare seeing him like this. So I laid him down and ran for the golden glow.  
The room was like going to an Asda but all the thing on the shelves were just jars full of different hues of gold. It was magical but it was scary to think about, like looking at the ashes of anyone. I looked at the jars, they all had names on them. Delrouse Blakton, John Goust, Brighten Bumsen, and the names just went on and on, like a cemetery. One said "James Owen" and it had hearts around it. Odd touch and detail to add to this but who knows, there may be an origin story explaining this. But I kept going. I bet Michael thought I would come and look for it so he would have hid it. I looked around. "Guess not!" I thought aloud. It was a jar with "Philip Lester" on it on a pedestal with a spotlight on it. How did I not notice it earlier? I had a feeling if I took too much Michael would notice take Phil again, and I did not want that. I opened a jar and took a handful. It looked like glitter, and it felt like it. It was slipping through the cracks on my hands, so I ran back to Phil.  
It had seemed like Phil tried to stand again but fell over. I did not think this through. Erm, I'll just throw it on him. Yep! Hope that works. And I flamboyantly threw it on him. The ending pose was something like arms in the position of a hug with one leg was in the air like an ice skater. The dust scattered over Phil's body, well, not all of it but most of it.  
The dust seemed to disappear, I hopped it was like it dissolved into his skin. I waited, nothing. Had it not worked? It was just a hunch. Phil rubbed his head. That seemed like a sign he was doing better. Then he stood up, like it was just a normal human thing. It is but, you know, he couldn't some minutes ago.  
"I knew he would do that." Michael said behind us. I turned around. How long was he here? "Not long, just long enough to see this new born foal stand. Surprising how fast you could do that. Tell me, Phil, was it all the magic within you was easier to gather or was it your little Danny Boy who gave you hope." Phil didn't say anything, but Michael grinned. "Knew it." What was Phil thinking? "You may find out later. But never mind that, you need more training." he extended his hand to me.  
Phil grabbed me around the waist and engulfed me in a white light. I heard Michael say "Oh come on!"

When the light faded we were in the meadows. This is like the central place for this adventure I swear! Phil let go of me and stepped back. How would you react to what just happened? You get kissed, see him struggle to stand, then he teleports you away from someone who wants you to willingly be kidnapped. It was a little much for me. I was sad that we weren't able to help anyone else but leaving was on a whim. Wait. I turned around, "Why did you teleport us out of there?" I asked Phil.  
"He was going to take you." he said.  
"He offered me to go." I said and Phil slumped down. "I wasn't going to go with him. I am not going back to that place."  
"Then why was your hand reaching towards his?" I didn't know how to respond. "You haven't even told me all that happened for those 2 weeks. What even happened? Everything I heard was from that guy, and he gave me just enough vagueness to make me worry. Why you won't tell me."  
How do I start? "Well, the first couple of days I was alone." I wish this would be smoother.  
Then all of a sudden I collapsed in pain that resonated from my head and a voice rang in my head, "I was in love once." it must have been Michael again. My head throbbed as he spoke, "I would have done anything for him. But then he got taken away from me and I found my power." I went on my knees in pain and Phil was knelt next to me saying something that I couldn't hear. "maybe you need that." I panicked "don't freak out already! I'll leave him be," the voice paused "for now." The pain stopped and I realized I had been holding my breath.  
"Are you alright? You just almost folded in on yourself." Phil had a look of concern on his face, freaking out like he lost something.  
"Yeah, I'll be fine." I was still holding my head. The only one who should be worrying is me about him. We stood up. I rubbed my face and looked at Phil. Wait? I squinted to find if my eyes were fucking with me. NOPE! Black fire was dancing towards us from the desert. It was odd because I would have thought it would have come from the forest. It was coming fast so I grabbed Phil's hand and ran. Phil managed to get in front of me.  
Suddenly my head felt like it was being crushed. I tried to fight it but I fell to my knees, everything fell to a blackness. "Are you sure?" Michael said in my head. With what? "Are you sure?" he chanted over and over again. It started to fade and it ended with a loud "Then prove it!" Everything brightened up, the pressure on my head stopped, and I stood up. Phil had kept running and was about 20 feet ahead of me. I started to run towards him. I looked behind me and the flames were dancing in place, but I kept running. I followed Phil into the forest, I know it was a bad idea, but I kept with him.  
We ran into a cave (why we did was not common sense) I looked up to see something falling down. I jumped the minI ravine and rolled to safety. I saw that Phil rolled the other way. I looked to see what the thing that fell was a stalactite that was too perfect to be an accident.  
I sat up and looked around. The black fire crept into the opening of the cave. I looked down and saw the floor I was on was not earth but metal. Then it collapsed under me and I fell down a slide.  
I found myself in a bat cave like place. Michael was in the center of the room looking at me. "Hello, Danny boy." he looked like Phil again. Sounded like him also. This is not Phil, I had to reminded myself. "see you finally made it." I was laying down and I tried to get up. But couldn't. Black fire engulfed my legs.  
"What do you want?" I asked, still struggling against the fire.  
"What you have always wanted." he said leaving closer to to my face. "magic." I had to remind myself, this is not Phil.


	13. Chapter 13

"I don't want your offer." I choked. I did want it but I couldn't go with his plan.  
"Oh? Is that so?" he paused. "I really saw you as a powerful wizard."  
I looked around. One of the monitors showed Phil fighting off the black fire in the cave still.  
"I looked at your future, Danny."  
Phil moved his hand and some of the black fire away. But it crept closer.  
"You are a powerful wizard but you have one thing lacking."  
Phil moved his hand and the fire flew back but came faster.  
"and it is a pity you never were able to have it."  
I saw the fear in Phil's eyes as he saw he was hopeless, but he still waves his hands to keep the black fire at a distance, that was becoming less and less each second.  
"and I can give that to you."  
Phil looked flustered and waving his hands as the fire danced closer but it seemed like it was doing nothing.  
"and that is love."  
Phil was engulfed in the black fire. I fought not to cry out.  
I looked back a Michael, puzzled. Half because I wasn't really paying attention and that last remark. "I could give you all the magic power you need! We can live together and create this world to be better. Force people to do our will. Make them beg for mercy." he turned around to me. "I see there is a price you have in mind?" what was he talking about. "But you know you have picked the wrong one." what? Michael turned from Phil back into Michael. "I can give you what that gleeking doghearted bugbear can't," he mentioned, what I assumed was, Phil through his teeth. "The best of both worlds." Hannah Montana, I laughed at that thought. Michael walked to a conveniently placed screen. "I can be a man or-" he stepped behind the screen and all I could see was a silhouette. He snapped his finger and his body seemed to glitch between a girlish form and his original manly form. They ran their hands through their hair and the body stopped glitching and finished on a woman. She stepped out behind the screen.  
"Or a woman." she looked like Michael, but shorter and more girlish. Her hair fell almost to her belly button and was lightly curled. She clapped her hands and Michael's clothes that bagged over her was replaced with a corset, panty, and garters set that had a blood red base but had black floral lace that covered it, making the red look more like a burgundy. "Like it? Wait." she clicked her oversized fancy suit shoes and they were replaced with boots that went up all the way to mid-thigh and laced up all the way. The heels on them were like a foot high (I didn't mean for the pun). They were made of a black leather. She took a step towards me and somehow didn't fall. "You can call me Michelle." She snapped her arm and a riding crop appeared in her hand like a wand.  
She tilted her head. "I may look different sweety," her voice was like chocolate, smooth and silky, "but I can still hear what you think." I WASN'T THINKING ANYTHING! "Many men think the same thing when they see me." she used the riding crop to guide my face to hers, my eyes met her crystal blue ones. She winked and bit her lip. "But don't worry," she remarked, "this version is a virgin." she blew me a kiss. I licked my lips, than I regretted doing it, I couldn't resist. She smiled. "You can have all of this" she motioned to her body and moved like a snaked. "if you agree."  
"NO!" I yelled, the word came fast without warning.  
Michelle stiffened. "Are you sure?" she looked at me through her fringe. I stayed silent. "Let me sway you." she pushed her hands in front of her and the black fire covered my head. I tried to get rid of it but I couldn't, it is magical fire.  
I heard a muffled cry for help. I couldn't see anything, but I could hear. "Help!" a weak cry said. It sounded like Phil! He must still be alive!  
The fire came off and Michael was standing where Michelle was, in his normal white button up with black pants clothes. I squinted at the light. "You wanting to hear my offer now?" he said. I hesitated, what would it entail? "Well, it won't hurt, probably." sounds reasonable. "But it could permanently give you back magic." Back? What did he mean by "back"? "Let me explain my plan first! Geesh, just as bad as," he let out a sigh, "It just requires a lot of work and it won't take long to happen, but I can't guarantee what will happen after words."  
"This doesn't seem like something I came for. What is in it for me? Why did you show me Phil?" I declared. He seemed to smart to just drop something random without any explanation.  
"I will release Phil!" he said like it was a given. "You go with my plan and the hopeless feeble-minded mass of neuroses and pathologies gets to go free, equal?"  
I could die, but Phil would live. He shouldn't have even been in this mess in the first place. He wanted to come along. If he just stayed home, where would I have been now? Probably in the same place, just with less for me to gain.  
"I will do it." I said. Michael smiled.  
"Cynthia! Take Dan to the preparation room!" Michael said. A maid came over to me, bowed to me.  
"Follow me." she said in a small voice. She started to walk.  
"Cynthia, you forgot something." Michael called out. She nodded and clapped a collar around my neck and tugged at the leash attached to it. I didn't protest because, well, I had given up myself, there was no point to protest. I would keep to my word hoping he keeps to his word.  
I was lead into this room where everything was dark except for one wall. Where there was like a soft, but it wasn't fluffy like a normal sofa, it was made of cement I think, basically it was as hard as a rock. She ushered me to sit down so I did.  
Cynthia placed the end of the leash attached to the collar on me into a hole above me and it linched itself up and was almost choking me. I coughed, she smiled and walked off, locking the door. So I sat there, feeling like I was going to die because I could barely breathe, alone. I tried to sit up but it lynched up more and made it worst.  
After sometime the door opened. "Cynthia! What do I have to tell you, turn on the lights!" Michael called out as he came in. He looked at me and rolled his eyes. "Cynthia! I told you not to use the hostage pulleys!" he called out again. "I am sorry, she had a pain kink, but she is a wonderful worker." He took the leash out of the thing and I coughed to catch my breath. "So I have a lot to get and put in here," Michael said. "So if you want Phil alive you won't leave this sofa, okay?" I nodded and he ran off.  
I was getting worried. What is going to happen? I never ask to have it be fully explained to me. The room did seem big just by when Michael talked it echoed and the ceilings and other walls were not visible in the darkness. What would need such a gigantic room? Was it going to be like a torture chamber? Like did Cynthia have a hand in this? Thoughts ran across my mind that didn't seem so pleasant. Was there an actual reason for me wearing this collar?  
After some time Michael came back but with a trolley cart with a black sheet over it, but it didn't cover all of it. There was a faint glow from under it, a golden glow. Now what was he planning? Magic essence doesn't dissolve into the skin of someone other than the originator (I guessed that from when I helped Phil earlier). What was he planning to use those for? I never have heard of the magical essence to be use for energy but I would think that it could work. It could bring more power than normal energy for whatever he is doing I bet.  
Again, I freaked out. Why would he need so much energy? Well, it is only one cart, those jars were pretty big but weren't that full. I think, I hope.  
Michael left the cart, covered and glowing to a wall some meters in front of me. Then he left, again. I thought he must be getting something for whenever he was planning: lab coat, glasses, spiked hair, gloves, and so forth. But, oh was I so sadly wrong. The doors opened up and another cart like the last one is wheeled in by Michael, he promptly left again. Then he came back with another cart and it repeated till it seemed like all the jars that were in that room in the basement of the warehouse were all here.  
Michael turned around to me and said, "Sorry to leave you in the dark about this!" then he clapped and the lights finally came on.


	14. Chapter 14

You know those scenes in science fiction movies where the room is gigantic and the room was made up of just like smooth concrete or dull metal and there is some weird machine is in the middle? That was what I was looking at. It seemed like the ceiling was easily 20 feet off the ground. The room seemed to be the size of a football field, it was that massive. There seemed to be a viewing both on the other side of the room that looked out into the room through glass, with a door from this room into it. But that wasn't what was drawing my attention that much. It was the machine.  
One of the components looked like a slab of dull metal, more on that later, with what seemed like giant metal spider legs all pointing down from this central cubular machine in the ceiling. Each leg was composed of three, metal rectangular prisms of the same size with a pyramid of metal on the ends making like weird feet. The joints were visible as little spheres showing that they must move. All around the dull metal slab dangled clear tubs that fell from metal box in the ceiling.  
Now to the slab, it looked like one of those torture things from movies. It was about at a 45 degree angle with two leather straps on each side that hung down, looming ready to strap down the next victim. Then there was a like iron shaped in a quarter globe ready for a head with a spike pointing out of the top.  
First look at that thing and I freaked out. My brain toiled between "That isn't for you!" to "Oh, shit. That's for you." I would have thought Michael would have made it more aesthetically pleasing seeing his palace and such, so seeing this monochrome grey room made it worst. Michael looked at me, and worry fell over his face.  
"I am so sorry, this was what was on the instructions and I didn't want to change it." he came over and knelt before me. He put his right hand over his heart and bowed his head. "It wasn't met to frighten you." this guy was hard to read. One minute he is sweet and caring the next he want to kill people, and you never know which mood he is in until he starts to talk. He looked up and gazed into my eyes. He took his right arm and rested his elbow on his knee, hand outstretched. "But, would you care to join me?" does he want me to take his hand or something? He stood up and grabbed my hand and lead me to the machine. He looked back at me and he looked worried again. "I promise it would be as bad as it looks! They were all out of the normal looking ones so I had to go for the `evil villain` one" he seemed sincere.  
He motioned for me to lay back on the dull, metal slab and put my head where the quarter, sphere was. What was I doing? I could die! Michael tightened the first restraint. I regret making this decision. I wanna leave. He tightened the last restraint. I could wiggle out of this if I tried, right? I tried to look like I was just readjusting but really was trying to see how much I could move, but the result was that even if I wiggled down any, it was less than a millimeter. Shit, I am stuck. I can't go back now.  
"Now," Michael said looking down at me. "There is no other way to do this." he hid his lips. "You know that magic essence can't be absorbed into the skin unless it is your own, right?" I nodded. I had guessed that from saving Phil sometime ago. "But you can eat it and it be digested for some time to give you magic, right?" I remembered he did that during the time I was trapped in his palace and he laced my food with essence, so I nodded. "And that it can't be immediate and it takes to long for it to work, so there is a third option." could he be talking about... "Through injection." that was his plan. "So, I will need to stick needles in you." plural? "One is not enough to do it all in one go." there was over 60 of about half filled jars in the room I was in earlier, and it seemed like all were here.  
"Are you planning on using all of the jars?" I asked. Michael nodded and hid his lips again. Somehow he didn't seems like he wasn't happy about his own plan.  
"I wish I didn't have to do this, you know." What a liar he was. "No, it is true. I wish I could have avoided it all! But I made a promise." he walked to a little cart I somehow missed with a fuck ton of scary things on it, and grabbed a bunch of sterilization rag. "I could be back in Admirabilis and be working back in the cafe. Making coffee and talking to the residence." he let out a sigh. "I could be living that life instead of this, if only I didn't make a promise."  
"What are you even talking about?" I asked.  
Michael sighed as he rubbed the rag over my arms. "I don't wanna talk much about it but what if-" he looked at me and proceeded to groaned and roll his eyes. "Phil," he said gruffly. "one day said that if he got murdered then he wants you to bring him back, and if you can't, then avenge him." now I am lost. "What would you do?" he paused. "You would do anything for him so you would agree, thinking it wasn't true. Of course some wizards see their death, but he couldn't have possibly seen it that early, right? He must be joking." he chuckled, "Never thinking you would have to go to great lengths to see how to make a wizard live again, or how to avenge him. You just think that you would see them through their life, even until old age, not even thinking that one day, just two simple words would make you hate your life later." he had another heavy sigh.  
"Okay!" he said in a more cheerful voice. "So I have six needles that I need to shove into you. I will use a butterfly needle because one: I truly don't want to hurt you, two: I still need to use needles for this, and three: since they are so small then I have to use all six. It is the least amount I have to use to get the job done." he grabbed one needle. "Also I need to stick all of these in your veins because that will make this process way fast, so there will be blood lost." what did I get myself into.  
"Are you sure this is safe?" I asked. He wobbled his head in a maybe. "Just get it over with." I responded. And I just tried to relax. Since I don't like it when people are being torchered in any type of detail I will spare that for you. But for those weirdos out there here is the gist, it felt like I was being pinched three times in each arm, followed by taping a tube down, then my arms felt like there was water being poured next to each pinch. That all I will say because even saying that makes me wanna cringe. Then Michael took each tube and connected them to other tubes going into the ceiling. What kept running through my mind was "What did I get myself into." I do have to say it was weird how he was not responding to my thoughts as much as he could. Was there a reason or was he just ignoring it? Well, whatever the reason it didn't help my situation.  
"So, I am going to have to leave for sometime because I forgot what the heck I was doing," He said with a minor giggle. "So, I am just going to dump all these jars together and then put them in that thing up there." he pointed to the metal box above me. "It shouldn't take long but I will still be gone some time. I will try and make sure nothing happens to you." he then quickly mixed all the jars together somehow still under the black sheets. And wheeled the remaining cart full of filled jars out of the room.  
Great! Alone, and tied down on a slab of metal with this weird spider thing above me that does, I don't know what. Just what I have hoped my life would end. All sarcasm aside, this was terrifying. What was going to happen was a main thought I had. Many of things could happen, like getting killed, exploding, imploding, the list could go on and on. I could be stabbed to death, or die from blood loss. Wait, how long is he going to be gone? I could be here for hours, minutes, days, months, weeks! What if he is gone for years? And just leave me here do die from starvation and or thirst. Who knows how long I could be here.  
Then for some reason Cynthia came in. It was also weird because she had a whip in her hand. She looked at me and smiled. "It looks like you are all `tied up` but that won't stop me." and she smirked. Now I am uneasy. What was she planning? She seemed to be such a different Cynthia than I had seen when I first met her. "I can't hear minds like Michael does but that doesn't mean I can't read body language." She walked over to where I was laying and put the whip in my mouth and it tasted sanitized, like it was rubbed with hand sanitizer. It was not a pleasant taste. Have you tasted hand sanitizer? It was like a taste you know you won't be able to get out of your mouth for some time.  
She climbed on top and straddled my body with her knees in between the restraints. She tilted her head and her glasses lowered on her nose. "You ready?" she said. I tried to protest but restraints this early was a bad idea and then the whip in my mouth was like a gag and that wasn't pleasant. She softly sat on my stomach. I tried to spit out the whip but she must have seen my attempt and pushed it in farther, which hurt the corners of my mouth.  
Then she flew to the wall and hit her back. She clasped on the floor with a groaned.  
"I am so sorry I wasn't here sooner." I looked to see who belonged to the voice and it was the familiar black hair.


	15. Chapter 15

Michael stood in the doorway, painting as if he ran. For the first time I was happy to see him. I was hoping that Cynthia would stop after a while, but it was only a hope. I looked at Cynthia on the floor. She was motionless. "What did you do?" I asked looked back at Michael.  
"I just saved you." he said matter a factly. He seemed just as stunned as me.  
"I meant what did you do to Cynthia?" I asked. Cause like I wouldn't be surprised to find that he killed her.  
"No! I didn't kill her." he said and brushed off his hands even though he probably didn't get them dirty. "It's just she's," he looked her way. "Unconscious." and he walked back towards me. "So it is all done. I am ready to do this but I wanna make sure you are." he brushed my fringe from my eyes, like he wanted to get a better look at them. "Are you ready?" there was somehow a kindness in his eyes. I somehow gave him a nod. I might as well get this done with. Whatever "it" is. But I can't stop now, or could I? I have escaped from him one already, why couldn't I do it again? Because he laced your food with magical essence you idiot! You teleported out of there so of course you were able to get out of there, you had magic. Why did I agree to this anyways? Because you were promised Phil would be safe. WHICH has not been proven to have happened by the way!  
Michael's voice broke my thoughts "Are you sure? Cause I can not guarantee what will happen to you. So I need to make sure you are ready for what might come."  
"Do you know what might happen?" I wanted to see if he did know anything.  
"When magical essence is digested I know that any feelings turn to uncontrollable rage. But that may be totally wrong. For you it may be instant or it could be slow or it may not happen." Okay, that explains his mood swings. I could hear it in his voice, he touched the magical dust. Wait, that would make no sense because he wouldn't extract himself. So the magical dust shouldn't have affected him, right?  
"Get ready!" Michael said in the observation booth. Where did this `get prepared` stuff go?  
Michael pulled a lever and I saw the goldness of the magical essence slowly fall from the ceiling in the tubes. Gonna spare you some details here also, but the gist is that I could FEEL the magic flow through my veins. I could feel myself get more magical as time went on. I could feel rage cloud my vision, actuate description because I had a feeling it would happen but not as severe as it had so I couldn't mentally block it. I figured out why the restraints were here because the pain force my back to arch and my body to get up and leave, but I couldn't. I felt like I was going to lose my grip on life but the thought that I may see Phil again told me to keep ahold.  
When the last of the essence was flowing through me I opened my eyes to myself glowing with gold. I was part of the essence now. Everything felt weird. I was like I was high, well what I assume it felt like. everything was like heightened. I could feel everything, smell everything, see everything, hear everything, taste everything. And it made me feel powerful for the first time in forever.  
I looked at Michael, who had come out of the booth. His face had the biggest smile, like he made Frankenstein. "How do you feel?" he said.  
"Powerful." I said through my fringe that had fallen into my eyes.  
"Why don't you show the world your power." he said and with a flick of his wrists all my retrains undid and I levitated up. I couldn't figure out if it was me or just the essence but it doesn't matter.  
"Let's do this." he said and I zipped over to Admirabilis and immediately started to destroy the town, burn buildings, crack the park, topple houses. All I could think is everything must go.  
I could see people run in fear and look up at me as if I was a horrific being, and it felt amazing. Everyone who thought I was weird because I never had magic, all those who made fun of me, every last person who wanted me gone met a fate I had hope for for so long was finally true. They were all going to die!  
"YOU NEED TO STOP THIS!" I looked and it was Phil and everything softened. his eyes said worried and I looked at what I had done. I level a town and probably taken lives of countless others.  
"NO!" Michael screamed and snapped his fingers and everything became clear. they all hated me anyways, why should they not value someone they never met and all they knew was a label.  
"Dan. you need to calm down." Phil said and came closer to me. it was soothing. I relaxed. and I stopped again to see the destruction.  
"I AM DONE WITH THIS!" Michael yelled and finger gunned at Phil and a bolt shot out and he turned to dust.  
It was like all the magic that was pumped into, me left. I dropped to the ground, ran to where Phil was, and knelt down. All I could do was cry and put my forehead in his dust. Then I flew backwards and my spine hit a wall. I fell on the ground on my side with a tingle, and moaned in pain. "Of course the free is weak." I heard Michael say. "I tried so hard to train you and it is like you learned nothing." I got up and ran towards him. Michael waved his and and made a jerking motion. I was flung to the wall with my back to it and I was pinned. I groaned in pain, again. he walked towards me. "You could have stayed. You could have become great but you chose him." His hand was shaped like a Lego man's hand and he lifted his hand up. He was force choking me. I felt it like his hand was on my neck, shoving my head towards the sky.  
"You-" I tried to say though I was choking. "you, ki-killed" I tried to take a breathe. "Him."  
"Oh, save your breath, Danny boy." he was right in front of me with my neck in his fist. I tried to force choke him back but it didn't work. What happened? I gasped for more air and struggled, but all it did was make my throat be griped more. "Magic is fueled by mood," he said and he cocked his head. "You know that right?" a fact everyone that knew. Everybody learned it in school, even the higher ranked ones. In the free class you knew everything about it in the hopes that one day it will help you go to the next level. "Happiness, joy, laughter, and other positive emotions fuel that, but negative emotions shut it down. Magic won't work if the person isn't happy. So," he tilted his head the other way. "how have you been for 18 years?" I struggle more "Ah, the question you have always been avoiding." I struggle harder.  
I tried to move my numbing hands to shove him. Maybe if I tried- I felt a surge of energy to through my fingers. His grasp released and he flew far away from me and fell on his back. Why? My magic? I thought- never mind that, I had to stop him. Cause I really don't want to see what he was planing after this.  
Michael sat up and rubbed his head. "Seems like you still got some fight in you." he lifted his hand and I went with it. He made a fist and I fell to the ground and the air was knocked out of me. Am I able to fight this? Suddenly I felt something shoved up from the ground beneath me. I looked and giant ice spikes enclosed my body. I wobbled to my feet to see Michael walk to me. "But you can't you know? You will never be as powerful as me." he is trying to get into my head in a different way than he has been.  
"But I am." I told him. "You said you saw me as a power wizard and it was a shame that I can't use magic. I can be more powerful if I try!" the look on his face told me I was correct.  
"I'll make sure you don't." he whispered. Now I have a goal to reach.  
Let's do this! I quickly lowered the ice spikes, grabbed his throat and shoved him into the wall behind him, that was not close at all. He smiled as my grip on his neck was tightened. "Little feisty aren't 'cha?" he gasped but seemed like he was still calm. I must have lower my guard because he grabbed my arm, turned me around and pinned my arm down to my back. I will tell you that they seem like they are fake hurt by that move but if you felt it in real life than you would wanna collapse in pain. I did something because Michael fell through me. He turned around to face me, still holding my arm.  
He pulled me towards him. I was so close I could feel his breathe. "What are you fighting for? There is no one left, there is nothing to fight for." he placed his forehead on mine. "So, why are you resisting with no reward."  
I stepped back and flipped him on his back. "Because I would rather be alone then be with you."  
"Ouch!" Michael scoffed. Now I'm real mad. He flipped back to his feet and turned to me. "If you're not going to listen to reason," he picked me up like a mermaid. "Then I'll have to beat it into you." He started to fly but I teleported onto the floor and he continued to fly just enough to get past what may have been the ceiling at one point. I moved my hand and he smacked into a wall that was at that height that is somehow still standing. And fell to the ground.  
I teleported myself to where he fell and there was a pile of rubble. Then the debris burst away and Michael stood up and swayed. "You haven't defeated me yet." he groaned.  
"That's what you think." I said and finger-gunned at him.  
"That won't work! You don't even know how to!"  
"Willing to bet?" I said and shot.


	16. Chapter 16

I didn't mean to kill him! It was a moment and I just wasn't thinking. Well, the bright side is that I won't have to deal with him anymore. What am I thinking, everyone is dead, everything is gone and I have nothing left. Michael was gone, dead, but his and my mark on the world remain. I had almost genocided a whole city. Well, I didn't almost. I remember reading a thing that said that once a wizard dies that the harm he physically did to anyone would be gone. I don't remember if it works on deaths though but I had high hopes.  
I ran to where I last saw Phil. He could be alive now and we can fix this! I came around the corner, but there was still no one. I looked to where Phil could be maybe, he could just be laying down but still nothing.  
I must have some magic left in me. I have to. At least enough to do this. Michael had a book where it explained how to resurrect people. I read it and tried to memorize it, thinking that it could have come in handy and now was its time. I tried my best to control whatever magic I have left. The spell used a corpse not ashes, but I still had some hope it would work. I tried the spell the way I remembered reading it, nothing. it may have said you had to do it many time or something so I tried it again. Still nothing. I tried again, and again, but nothing. I couldn't bare looking at the ashes so I got up, then sat down and looked another way, any way besides to those ashes. It was my fault those ashes are there, if I just ignored him he would be fine! But I killed everyone else in this city, why would he be spared? I buried my head in my hands, just wanting to go all armadillo and curl up. I am such an idiot.  
There was a hand the fell on my shoulder, I got scared and recoiled and jumped to look who it was. IT WORKED! Or something else happened but who cares? Phil was standing there. I felt a smile creep across my face as Phil smiled back. I jumped up and hugged him, tears in my eyes.  
"You're alive!" I almost whispered.  
"I'm alive." he said the same way back. I relished the moment. We released each other, and he looked around. "What happened?"  
Like many times when he has wanted to know what has happened and it involves me, I don't know how to respond. "Well, the good thing is Michael is gone." he looked at me with questioning eyes. Should I tell him? To be honest it could have been a more gruesome death. "He finger gunned you dead, then I fought him then finger gunned him." he looked at me like I was mad and to be honest with what has happened I might as well be.  
"Finger gunned? You do know that that isn't a logical way to kill someone, right?"  
"Well, magic is a thing so who knows. To be honest I just leveled a town so anything can be possible."  
"Are you okay? You are shaking." I never noticed it but I realize my whole body was shivering like it was freezing out. But I am not surprised I am this shaken. I just leveled a fucking town!  
"How are we going to fix this?" Phil said changing the subject.  
"I think there is a spell for this?" I said. Somehow I just knew what to do. "But I don't know how much magic I even have left. So, you would need to help with this." Phil nodded and I told his what to do.  
"That is going to-"  
"I know!" I said and hid my hands. "But I also caused this. What else do I do?"  
He looked like he wanted to say something but there was only silence. "You didn't mean to." I didn't know this was what was going to happen but I agreed to something I didn't know much about. "Do you really want to go through with it?"  
"What else is there." I said. Phil bit his lip. He knew there was nothing.  
We figured out what needed to happen to get the spell to work.  
Tears streamed down his cheeks, but he wasn't alone. Everything looked watered down because I was crying too. We hugged before we left. No one believed us, now almost no one was left here. We were alone. The whole world looked like it was rid of colours. We looked at each other. "You ready?" he said looking ready to go forth in our plan. I nodded and we headed our separate way.

I went to the center of what I assumed was the park. This was it. What had I gotten myself into? I brought this upon myself, I had to deal with the consequences. Let's do this I thought even though my body was still shaking.  
The spell was complicated but it also would bring everything back, all the buildings would be returned to their original condition and everyone would be alive. It never said how much energy it would take but I assume that it would take more then what I could have, that's what I need Phil for. The moment I start he needs to send me some magic. I don't know how that works but I hope it does. And he has to be far away from me just in case it doesn't work and also if it doesn't reach that far then he will act as an antenna to make it go to the farther most parts of the city. And it has to be the cause of the problem, so that is why I am doing it and not Phil.  
I needed to get to a high place but in the center so that is why I am at the park, the centering part is what I needed the most so I used some magic to lift myself up and started it. I would take long so I had to concentrate on both. I saw Phil and he started to do his thing. This is it. The spell was multi step. I think it fountain starts with inanimate objects (plants and building and such) and they are repaired, then wounds fountain are healed, finally animals and people are woken up.  
When I first started the spell it didn't seem like it was doing anything then little by little things started to move and re-piece themselves back together. It did seem slow at first and with little things like flowers that were burned or snapped off regrowing onto their stems. Mail boxes going back on their little pillars on the sidewalks and such, to signs flying back together and placed themselves back onto their building which were rebuilding themselves, brick by brick, slab by slab, or panel by panel. It was beautiful. The town finally looked like it was finished but I started the next stage.  
There was nothing that was visibly different like it was with the last stage but it still felt like it I was changing things. It was sometimes weird though because I didn't realize the spell also put the body back to where they were originally. So bodies were flying back into buildings into windows that promptly fixed themselves. Somewhat unproductive but well, it happened, I had no control over what was going on. But when I saw the first body fly into a building was so weird.  
I had to wait a while before I actually woke up people. It would be weird to have someone wake up with like a giant hole in their stomach stitching itself back up so I decided to see how Phil was doing. He was still giving me magic. He was having to magnify my magic, dang it. I was hoping that he won't have to but I had a feel that he might have to. Was was walking around the town trying his best to make sure everything got my magic. He uneasily stepped over bodies that promptly flew away to their proper place, and dodged random building materials as they whizzed by. How could he be just cool with all of this. He only broke his eyes away from me when there was an obstacle so it got kinda weird. I looked around after a while and I realise everything so far was finished.  
Time to wake everyone up. This was going to be difficult because I have already started getting tired. I need to finish it but I think that the only thing that is helping me is Phil. Hopefully I can finish this. It takes all my power but I finished the spell and there was a blast that I guess started to wake people up. The people in the streets that I could see were rubbing their heads and sitting up.  
The view was amazing from up here. Everything was what it was the last time I saw it. The people looked around in confusion, I bet they still remember. Do they remember themselves dying? I looked around and everything was back to normal. People started to continue their day like normal, as if nothing happened. As if they were not dead just sometime ago. Then my vision went black and I felt everything go limp with wind rush past me as I fell. They say that it isn't the impact that kills you it is the fall, and they would be so wrong, so very wrong. Not even the people who say that you pass out before you hit the ground are lying, you feel all of it. Every last moment you know what is happening, but you can stop it. You would never be prepared for it, not even if you knew.


	17. Chapter 17

I opened my eyes to a pristine white room made of clouds. I was laying on the floor on my back. I sat up and looked around. UGH! I am wearing all white, why white? On one wall the room opened up to a park also white with clouds. A fountain stood in the middle of the park that had the blue of water flowing over it. There was also a bright rainbow in the back that finally gave the place colour. The blue of the sky made all the white look like it had a yellow tint.  
A child around the age of 18 (wait...) stood up from a bench. "He wasn't as bad as he seemed, I swear." he said without looking at me.  
"What?" I had a million other questions but this came out first.  
"Michael Owen," he said. "he wasn't as bad and mean and straightforward as he acted towards you." Owen was his last name I guess.  
I figured out that Michael wasn't that bad when he was lacking on magical essence. But who was this figure?  
"I am James Alexander. You may have heard of me before."  
"I remember seeing a James but not a James Alexander."  
He turned to face me, "James Owen maybe?" I gave him a curious look. "Michael would joke about that. I would joke he would take my last name but I knew I would take his." that explains the how the jar was decorated.  
"But then why are you here? Why am I here?"  
"Well, you are between being alive and being dead, and I am here to chose which you will end up with."  
"Like the grim reapers in Black Butler!"  
"Sort of, but we do it differently. There is no film involved, we see what you could do in the future, how the world would benefit by you. Some are easy, others difficult. And you were difficult to choose."  
"Really?" I was surprised because I probably would just sit at home, doing nothing.  
"No." I sighed at the remark. "There is actually a different reason on what I chose for you, because I see you with Philip and it is just different, like me and Michael." I hope that is good. "Not in the sense like most are similar, ours was more like you cared about the other even though you may have just had a fight." it has been weird to be completely honest. "But everything on your list says you should come join me and Michael, but I don't want to do that."  
"Okay?" what was he meaning?  
"So, I am going to let you chose." James said and a door appeared on each side of him. "Left door, you die. Right door you stay alive and live till you meet your final days."  
"Why would you give me a choice? You're the guy who tells people what happens to dead people."  
"Because I am torn. That is the simplest answer." he smiled at me.  
What do I chose? Everything is finished and alive so why should I go back? I will just be killed anyways. I will probably be a free so no matter I would still not in Admirabilis. But if I stay then I will be without Phil. This is really hard to chose. But there is more cons than there are pros going back.  
"I do remember seeing a thing you promised to earlier." James said "And I am a stickler on promises." was he talking about the promise Michael made? Was he the reason Michael had to make a promise in the first place? "I didn't make him!" he gained a sheepish look. "Well, that is besides the point. But let's see if you get it; For some keys, you promised this." Wait! Now I remember.  
The old man made me promise to pick the right one. I thought by right he meant correct but he may have been referencing this. "Now you are getting it." James said. I do get it.  
"I choose the right door."  
"You know you can just walk through it you don't have to have permission to, right?"  
I started to step through that door but when I stuck my foot through, the pain of probably all of the bone broken became apparent. "How about I not." I said and stepped towards the other door.  
James cleared his throat. I looked at him. He looked at up at me with the "are you sure?" look. I kept walking. "Okay, let's try this again." he said. I stopped and sighed. "What else did he say?"  
I looked back at him. "I have been through alot, why would you think I would remember what someone said like hours to days ago?"  
"Maybe this will help you." he moved his hand and a hologram of the old butler, and myself appeared. "I was told to guard you at night." The Butler said. This was a memory type of deal I bet. "And the walls in your room were built in such a way so anything was audible to the outside." Still sounds creepy. "And every night I would hear you talking about ` Phil'." I hope James isn't paying attention but he was because he smiled at Phil's name. "I didn't know who that man was but I inferred that he wasn't a stranger. When Master Michael said he had taken a man named Phil I guess he was the one you were sleep talking about." He held up a ring with three very different keys on it. "You can have these, if you promise me one thing. That, when the time comes, you chose right."  
"What do you mean?" I heard myself say even though it wasn't me, it was the hologram.  
"You will chose right, even if you have to hurt because of the result."  
"I promise?"  
The old butler walked up to me, placed the keys in my hand and clasped his hands around mine. "I trust you will." he let go and walked away and the hologram disappeared.  
"So, what are you going to do?" James said.  
I groaned and started to walk through the doorway. Then I looked back at him. "If you had known this all along, then why didn't you just decide?"  
"Men feel better when they feel like they decided." James smiled at me. He hung with Michael, of course he knew how to play with people.  
"See you in the prequel, James." and I walked through.

It was all broken, all of the bone in my entire body have to be broken. As long as I don't move I don't know if I have broken anything. I will just lay here and… there is Phil, running to see if I was okay. How long was I mostly dead? Must have only been some minutes, not too long.  
Phil knelt by my side repeatedly whispering "Oh God. Oh God." as he looked over my body as if he was searching for external bleeding, which I couldn't feel so I was safe on that somehow.  
Wonder if I can freak him out. I turned my head towards him "Hey there." I said in my best seductive voice and he screamed, and he backed up by like 5 feet. It was wonderful.  
"You're alive!" he said and he came back and wrapped his arms around me, expecting pain, but I didn't mind it. Phil released me. "Thank god you are alive." he said. "I saw you fell from the sky and I had no idea what to do so I ran to you. I tried to stop you or slow your falling but it did nothing. I was scared you died, or gotten worse."  
"What could be worse than death?" I asked. He looked at me like he realized what he said, ashamed at the stupidness of it, but I didn't care. I wrapped my arms around his neck and lifted myself to meet his lips, answering my own question. I flopped back to the ground and pain shot through me. Regret about doing that but not too much.  
"Oh, I forgot! You must have so many broken bones. I will-"  
I cut him off "I am done with spells at the moment. Maybe we just go to hospital or something."  
"But won't you be worried-?"  
"With what I have been through, it may be nice to get back to what I know."  
"But I am going to get you there by cloud. I am not carrying you."  
I laughed. I tried to sit up but everything seemed to be broken. So I just played on the concrete. A fluffy cloud wrapped around me and lifted me up. And we headed towards the hospital. They fixed me up quickly (with machines that did the magics not a human) and we headed home.  
Since my parent banished me for their home I think I went to Phil's. It had a different feel to it now. More calmed then the last time. He told his brother, Martyn, was going to stay for some time (cause I had no plans whatsoever).  
"Where is he going to sleep?" Martyn asked.  
"The couch has been comfy when I have fallen asleep during a movie." Phil responded.  
"Cool. Than he can stay." why was Martyn so chill?  
So the couch was nice. I had my own telly almost. The kitchen was a short walk away, and the window wasn't placed where the sun rose. But the window had no blinds, so I could see and hear what was going on outside, every single night.  
One night I heard clanging outside, then I saw figures moving. Some to close for what I would like. Scared, I found Phil's room and jumped in his bed with him. He was facing the other way so he rolled over to see who it was.  
"There was noise and things that moved." I whispered.  
"Well, no one will hurt you as long as I am here, alright."  
And for the first time in years I actually felt safe.


	18. Chapter 18

Wow, I was emotional. This is Daniel 8 years later and I am embarrassed that was even a thing. I found this in a container with other things and I don't remember when I wrote this. From my recollection I think this may have been like a journal.  
Besides that I would like to fill you in on what has happened over the last years.  
Because of the jamkers killing free instead of just doing something else, and all the families about to have children scared they may have to kill their child or send them off, they lifted the ban on frees. Which was nice for me because I got to stay in Admirabilis and not risk what other thing may happen outside the town.  
As for Admirabilis, I don't know how the people are doing. No one has asked me or Phil anything so that could be a good thing or a bad thing. I haven't overheard people going "You know we all died because some angsty teen?" which I hope is a good sign. It looks as if it wasn't destroyed by an idiot teen so that probably helps.  
After a while Phil and I bought an apartment, to move out of the house. We decided that if I stayed down stairs and someone knew who I was then something may happen. We voted I would be safer upstairs with someone. We were worried Martin may think things were happening and decided that it would be better if we moved out. It's a nice sized flat to be honest.  
As for Phil, I think he has been doing well. I wish I knew he stole cereal before we moved in together. Martyn told me before we moved to check my cereal, I asked him why, he told me that I would see and I was really confused. Now I know why. But Phil and his kind soul has been trying to show me the ways of magic to see it I can get anything but I can't really make anything still but he still tries.  
Now, me. The couple days after all of that was over I couldn't get over the fact I had killed someone, it is still a hard concept for me. A person that had thoughts, dreams, memories, hope, love was reduced to a pile of dust that the wind could disperse in a matter of moments. It fucked with me for a good while. I did have a lack of sleep for some time but I am doing better. The only person who knows that I killed Michael is Phil and I don't know if he understands how it affected me. I still can't do magic as said before so that hasn't changed much. Still don't have a job so that hasn't changed. Basically Phil works while I stay home, so that hasn't changed either. So all in all nothing has changed from when  
But I really wish I knew when I wrote this. But I don't know if that would matter. I hoped you liked this story. It did seem to start off rough but we got through it. But if you liked it then show your support somehow. It may be hard to even though this is just a journal but I may turn it into a book, who knows.  
And with that I wish you all a farewell.

Hey, this is Phil! I know I probably shouldn't have read this or even write here but I can't undo the past. But all I wanted to say was… I forgot… wait! No I still don't remember… now I know! I wanted to say that I know Dan hasn't been dealing with the whole Michael thing. I knew he wasn't completely okay when I told him my middle name which is Michael. So that is unfortunate, but I think he is slowly getting better. He says he is fine but I know he isn't fully yet.  
Just so that Dan doesn't get scared or something I made sure that we got a two bedroom apartment, he took the darker one and I took the one with the window. No surprises there. He does sometimes come in and wants to sleep with me, and I am okay with that. He has been through so much.  
And lastly, I want to thank you for going on this crazy journey with us. I have a feeling someone will find another story and you may get to read that, who knows. Well, it isn't going to be about us I can promise that, but maybe it could be like someone not mentioned in this story that goes on their own. It is possible that no more stories of this world ever come out but we can sure hope!  
Until next time! :-D


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